"Oblique strains can sideline players for a month or longer depending on severity."
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves announced a series of roster moves Tuesday, releasing left-handed reliever Aaron Bummer and placing catcher Drake Baldwin on the 10-day injured list with an oblique strain.
In corresponding moves, the team activated lefty Dylan Dodd from the 10-day IL, recalled right-hander Victor Mederos from Triple-A, selected the contract of catcher Chadwick Tromp, and optioned right-hander JR Ritchie to Triple-A.
Drake Baldwin Injury
Baldwin, the 2025 National League Rookie of the Year, lands on the IL after suffering an oblique strain. In 2026, he has posted a .303/.389/.543 batting line with 13 home runs in 216 plate appearances.
His wRC+ sits 60% above league average, ranking eighth among qualified hitters. He has contributed 2.2 wins above replacement per both FanGraphs and Baseball-Reference.
The team has not provided a timeline for his return. Oblique strains can sideline players for a month or longer depending on severity.
Aaron Bummer Released
Bummer was released after allowing six runs in one inning in his final appearance. In 2026, he pitched 15.1 innings with a 7.63 ERA, allowing multiple runs in five of 19 appearances.
Since April 13, he gave up 15 runs (13 earned) on 17 hits and seven walks in 11.1 innings, with opponents hitting six home runs and a 16.9% strikeout rate.
His average fastball velocity dropped from 94.7 mph in 2023 to 90.5 mph in 2026. He had previously posted a 3.69 ERA over 109.2 innings in 2024-2025.
The Braves acquired him from the White Sox in a trade sending Michael Soroka, Jared Shuster, Nicky Lopez, Braden Shewmake, and Riley Gowens. He signed a five-year, $16MM contract with club options, later restructured to guarantee options and reduce 2026 salary to $9.5MM (from a combined $10MM for option years). Atlanta remains responsible for the full contract balance.
Catching Situation
With Baldwin and Sean Murphy (fractured finger) sidelined, the Braves will rely on Chadwick Tromp and Sandy León.
- Chadwick Tromp has a career .221/.230/.390 batting line in 178 MLB plate appearances.
- Sandy León has not exceeded 100 plate appearances since 2021 and carries a .176/.245/.268 batting line over his past 930 plate appearances.
Both are considered solid defenders.