Braves cut ties with 4.01 ERA reliever amid AJ Smith-Shawver news originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The Atlanta Braves have made a pair of roster moves before Tuesday night's matchup against the Minnesota Twins. First, right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett. He will start Wednesday's series finale against the Twins. Secondly, Atlanta has designated reliever Tyler Kinley for assignment. Kinley's spot on the active roster goes to Smith-Shawver. Kinley has been with the Braves for about a year after last season's trade from the Colorado Rockies. He was dominant in 2025, posting a 0.72 ERA with just 11 hits allowed in his first 25 innings with the Braves. The 35-year-old owns a 4.01 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 42.2 innings this season and has allowed four home runs in his last 12.2 innings, dating back to July 3. MORE: Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll joins only Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio in wild MLB history "Kinley has always had some susceptibility to home runs, as one would expect for a fly-ball pitcher who’s spent the vast majority of his career calling Denver’s Coors Field his home park," Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors wrote. "However, he’s never struggled with the long ball to this extent. He’s averaging 1.9 homers per nine innings pitched this season," Adams added. "A career-worst 15.5% of the fly balls he’s allowed this year have left the yard." The often-injured Smith-Shawver joins Atlanta's rotation, and Kinley will head to the waiver wire. More MLB news:
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