Tyler Kinley is back in the Atlanta Braves bullpen after the club reinstated the right-hander from the paternity list Friday, one day before the All-Star break.
To open a roster spot, the Braves optioned right-hander Hurston Waldrep to Triple-A Gwinnett. The move comes on the heels of back-to-back wins over the Pittsburgh Pirates, with Atlanta having won the series finale 10-5 Thursday on the strength of a Mike Yastrzemski grand slam in the ninth inning.
Waldrep's optioning follows a rough outing July 7 in Pittsburgh, when he allowed seven earned runs in 3 1/3 innings during a 12-4 loss. That appearance included three home runs and 10 RBIs by Pirates first baseman Ryan O'Hearn, a franchise-record performance that left the 24-year-old with an 8.44 ERA and a 2.16 WHIP through three appearances this season.
Waldrep was drafted 24th overall by Atlanta in the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of Florida. He had elbow surgery in February 2026 to remove loose bodies and was not activated from the injured list until June 12. He went 6-1 with a 2.88 ERA in 10 appearances during his 2025 breakout but has not been able to recapture that form since returning.
Kinley, 35, went on the paternity list July 7 to welcome a new child and rejoins a bullpen that performed well during the two-game winning streak. He signed a one-year, $4.25 million contract with Atlanta in January 2026 after posting a 5-0 record and a 0.72 ERA in 24 appearances following a midseason trade from the Colorado Rockies last year.
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The Braves are 54-38 and first in the National League East. Atlanta opens a three-game series in St. Louis against the Cardinals on Friday night with left-hander Chris Sale on the mound.
Waldrep will work on his command and consistency at Triple-A Gwinnett, with a return possible once the Braves identify a need in the rotation or bullpen after the break.
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