Braves Finally Cut Ties With Former MLB Wins Leader After Historic Streak
The Atlanta Braves' unusual, year-long roster saga involving veteran pitcher Carlos Carrasco has finally ended. The 39-year-old former Cy Young contender, who was designated for assignment and subsequently re-signed by the Braves an unprecedented seven times, is now taking his talents overseas. Carrasco has officially signed with the LG Twins of South Korea's KBO for $360,000, marking his departure from the Braves organization. This move concludes what was widely dubbed the "longest-running DFA carousel in history," offering a fresh start for the accomplished starter. Carrasco, boasting 112 career MLB wins and a 2017 Cy Young top-four finish, will bolster the Twins' rotation, closing a unique chapter for both the pitcher and the Braves.
The Atlanta Braves spent the better part of the past year in a repetitive back-and-forth with one of the most accomplished contemporary big-league starters.
Across a historic streak, the Braves cut and brought back a familiar veteran arm seven times across the season, whenever organizational pitching depth was needed. And each time, it seemed his stay would be coming to an end, only for the former major league standout to return again.
But now that unusual cycle has finally come to an end.
Rather than signing yet another minor league contract with the Braves following his latest departure, 39-year-old former Cy Young contender Carlos Carrasco is heading overseas for a fresh opportunity, ending one of the most unusual roster sagas in recent memory.
“The defending South Korean baseball champions LG Twins acquired former major league starter Carlos Carrasco on Wednesday, bolstering their rotation with the one-time Cy Young Award contender,” Yoo Jee-ho reported for Yonhap News Agency. “The Twins said Carrasco, 39, will make US$360,000 for the rest of this Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season. The move comes a day after the Twins released reliever Yacksel Rios, as they chose to replace the hard-throwing setup man with a veteran starter with 112 career wins in Major League Baseball (MLB).”
The signing marks Carrasco's official departure from the Braves organization after a remarkable stretch of roster maneuvering that saw him designated for assignment and brought back an astounding seven times.
“Carrasco’s move to the KBO ends perhaps the longest-running DFA carousel in history,” Steve Adams wrote for MLB Trade Rumors. “He’s been designated for assignment by the Braves seven times in the past calendar year, each time opting for free agency and — until now — quickly re-signing on a new minor league contract.”
While Carrasco's Braves tenure became defined by constant short-term transactions, his overall major league resume remains one of sustained success.
“The 39-year-old Carrasco spent years as one of the steadiest and most productive starters in Major League Baseball,” Adams added. “From 2014-22, Carrasco pitched 1209 2/3 innings with a 3.59 ERA, a 27.2% strikeout rate and a 6% walk rate. Though he somewhat shockingly never made an All-Star team in that time, Carrasco had a fourth place Cy Young finish along the way (2017) and twice signed lucrative extensions with Cleveland.”
In 2017 he also logged the most wins in all of Major League Baseball with 18.
Now, instead of continuing the familiar cycle of DFA, free agency and another Braves reunion, Carrasco will attempt to extend his career in South Korea. For Atlanta, his departure finally closes the book on one of the organization's most unusual roster sagas in recent memory.