Atlanta Braves left-hander Ray Kerr is facing Tommy John surgery, as confirmed by manager Brian Snitker in remarks to reporters on Monday (as seen on Bally Sports South). The decision comes after the Braves had initially optioned Kerr to Triple-A Gwinnett on June 15, only to rescind that option and place him on the MLB injured list due to a UCL issue.
Kerr will now be sidelined for the remainder of the season. However, there is some solace in knowing that he will receive compensation at the prorated MLB minimum rate of $740,000, as the injury was determined to have occurred before he was sent down. Atlanta retains the option to transfer him to the 60-day injured list if they need to create space on the 40-man roster. Looking ahead, the Braves will face a decision whether to reinstate Kerr to the roster or subject him to waivers at the beginning of the next offseason, which could present challenges.
The prospect of potentially losing Kerr via waivers would be disappointing for the Braves, although they might be reluctant to retain him on the 40-man roster throughout the winter months. It’s anticipated that Kerr will be out of action well into the second half of next season and there is a possibility he could miss the entire 2025 campaign.
Atlanta had shown confidence in Kerr’s abilities, demonstrating their interest by absorbing $4 million of Matt Carpenter’s $5.5 million salary in a trade with the Padres last offseason. Despite this financial commitment, the Braves swiftly designated Carpenter for assignment and subsequently released him, highlighting their focus on acquiring Kerr’s contractual rights. The team even experimented with transitioning Kerr into a starting role, granting him two starts in late May.
However, Kerr struggled in these outings, conceding seven runs across 7 1/3 innings as a starter. He found more success in his usual bullpen duties, where he logged 14 2/3 innings with a six-run tally. Across parts of three seasons in the majors, the 29-year-old has accumulated a 5.30 ERA over 54 1/3 innings. Although Kerr wouldn’t be eligible for arbitration until the 2027 season, the Braves could opt to retain him on the roster at minimal financial risk.
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