Atlanta is trying to hold onto their National League East lead, but they just made a super quiet move on September 1 that gives them some serious depth. The Braves, who are 85-61 and only three games up on the Philadelphia Phillies, inked nine-year veteran catcher Eric Haase to a minor league deal, sending him straight to the Florida Complex League. This move, which flew largely under the radar, provides additional depth for the team’s most important stretch of the regular season.
The “Comfortable” Catching Tandem Gets a Safety Net
The Braves have been all about their catching duo of Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy this season. Baldwin’s been establishing himself as a key young player, and Murphy brings that veteran defense behind the plate. The team’s reportedly “comfortable” with these two handling things as October approaches, but you always need a Plan B, right? Haase is that “insurance” play, adding a layer of security behind their main tandem.
Haase’s Rocky Road Back to the Bigs
Haase hasn’t had the easiest time in 2026. He started with the San Francisco Giants, played 29 big league games, then got released in July. Then it was a brief stint with the Chicago White Sox’s Triple-A Charlotte, another release in August, and now this minor league deal with the Braves. His numbers with the Giants weren’t pretty: a .162/.235/.365 slash line, four homers, nine RBIs, and 28 strikeouts versus just six walks. Yikes. But he does have that major league experience, with parts of nine seasons and even a 22-homer year back in 2021 with the Detroit Tigers.
This signing might have flown under the radar, but it’s a low-risk shot for a team with big postseason dreams. The Braves are on a three-game skid right now, and they absolutely need to get back on track against the Tampa Bay Rays to keep that division lead. Haase might be insurance they hope they never need, but hey, it’s there.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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