The Braves made a highly expected move on Monday by signing Jesse Chavez to a minor league contract and inviting him to spring training.
Chavez recently parted ways with the White Sox after initially agreeing to a minor league deal with Chicago last month. The seasoned pitcher is entering his 17th season in the MLB and is coming off an outstanding performance in 2023, where he showcased an All-Star level with a remarkable 1.56 ERA over 34.2 innings with the Braves.
Chavez’s connection with the Braves seems almost destined, as he has had four separate stints with the team, including three in the past three years, and even earned a World Series ring during his time with them. His journey with the Braves has been akin to a storyline from a Disney movie.
In 2021, Chavez played a pivotal role in the major league roster due to circumstances and impressed with a 2.14 ERA across 30 games during the regular season. He continued his stellar performance in the playoffs, appearing in seven games without conceding a run on the way to clinching the championship.
Although Chavez started 2022 with the Cubs, he returned to the Braves before being traded at the deadline for Rasiel Iglesias. Following a stint with the Angels where he struggled, he was eventually waived, and the Braves wasted no time in bringing him back into the fold under Alex Anthopoulos’s leadership.
The revered Braves pitcher performed admirably for the team in 2022 and made a comeback in 2023. However, his stellar performance was abruptly halted last year when he was hit by a line drive off Miguel Cabrera’s bat, forcing him to miss a significant portion of the season. It was a disappointing conclusion to what had been a remarkable season for him. Nevertheless, with Jesse Chavez’s track record, it’s likely that he will be called upon and deliver for the Braves at some point during this season.
