Braves sign veteran reliever Motte to minor-league deal

The Braves signed veteran right-hander Jason Motte to a minor-league contract and said he was to report to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday.

Motte, 34, has made 398 relief appearances in the majors over eight seasons, including 30 games with the Rockies in 2016. Last season he posted a 4.94 ERA over 23.2 innings with 24 strikeouts and eight walks.

Motte has posted a 3.28 ERA over 357 innings with 348 strikeouts and 105 walks. He was with the Cardinals from 2008 to 2014 and with the Cubs in 2015. Motte served as the Cardinals’ closer during the 2012 season, but missed the 2013 season after undergoing Tommy John elbow surgery.

The Rockies signed Motte to a two-year, $10 million contract in 2016, but released him last week. They will pay Motte’s $5 million salary less the prorated portion of the league minimum the Braves would pay Motte if he spends time on the their major-league roster.

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