Braves Reclaim José Suárez From Orioles, Designate George Soriano for Assignment
The move underscores a deliberate effort by both clubs to cycle fringe relievers through waivers to preserve depth without occupying 40-man roster spots.
Overview
- Atlanta announced it claimed left-hander José Suárez off waivers from Baltimore and designated right-hander George Soriano for assignment.
- With Soriano DFA’d, he enters the waiver process, while Suárez returns to the Braves’ 40-man roster less than two weeks after Baltimore claimed him.
- This is at least the sixth Braves–Orioles cross-claim of the offseason, part of a back-and-forth pattern that has also included Carson Ragsdale and Josh Walker.
- The recurring claims and DFAs reflect a common offseason tactic to try to pass players through waivers unclaimed so they can be outrighted and retained off the 40-man.
- Suárez, a lefty relief option, logged 19.1 MLB innings for Atlanta in 2025 with a 1.86 ERA and a 3.70 FIP, while Soriano, a righty, has been viewed as Triple-A-to-MLB bullpen depth.