Atlanta Braves claim Osvaldo Bido as injuries squeeze pitching depth
The atlanta braves added right-hander Osvaldo Bido off waivers from the New York Yankees, a roster move that also required shifting left-hander Joey Wentz to the 60-day injured list after a torn ACL during spring training.
Why did the Atlanta Braves move quickly on Osvaldo Bido?
Both clubs announced the waiver claim, sending Osvaldo Bido to Atlanta at a moment when the Braves’ pitching depth has been tested by multiple injuries. To create space on the 40-man roster, Atlanta placed Joey Wentz on the 60-day injured list. Wentz suffered a torn ACL midway through spring training and is expected to miss the 2026 season.
The claim also marks a quick reunion. Atlanta previously claimed Bido in early December and later designated him for assignment 10 days after that move. Since last season concluded, Bido has moved through a series of organizations in a rapid sequence of designations for assignment and waiver claims, with his latest stop now returning him to Atlanta.
In spring action with the Yankees, Bido worked seven innings and allowed one run on five hits and three walks, primarily in one-inning stints. He has also worked as a starter and swingman in recent seasons.
What does the pitching picture look like as spring training ends?
Atlanta entered camp thin on rotation depth and then saw injuries further reduce options. In addition to Wentz’s ACL tear, right-handers Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep required elbow surgery to remove loose bodies. Right-hander Spencer Strider was diagnosed with an oblique strain this week and will open the season on the injured list.
As the club wrapped up spring training with a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays to finish 21-7-2, the rotation picture outlined in camp coverage had Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, and Grant Holmes “locked into” spots. Lopez pitched only once last year due to shoulder surgery. Holmes suffered a UCL tear last summer and rehabbed without surgery, while Sale’s injury history was noted as well known.
Right-hander Bryce Elder and left-hander José Suarez are out of minor league options and were expected to fill out the rotation, though the team had not formally said as much. Non-roster veteran Martín Pérez was described as still under consideration. Like Elder and Suarez, Bido is out of minor league options, putting him in position to break camp in a swing role and add immediate depth.
What kind of pitcher is Bido, and what’s at stake now?
Bido, a 30-year-old right-hander, spent seven seasons in the Pittsburgh Pirates system before making his MLB debut as a 27-year-old in 2023, and he has spent the past two seasons with the Athletics. In the majors, he has pitched 193 2/3 innings with a 5. 07 earned run average. His results have been described as uneven: poor numbers in 2023, strong output in 2024, and more struggles in 2025. Metrics referenced in the coverage, including SIERA (4. 60) and FIP (4. 67), rate him somewhat more favorably overall, aligning with the view of Bido as a swingman or sixth-starter type.
His pitch mix and profile were also detailed. Bido averages 94. 7 mph on both his four-seam fastball and sinker. His strikeout rate (20. 9%) and walk rate (9. 6%) were characterized as slightly worse than average. The largest red flag cited for 2025 was home runs: Bido is an extreme fly-ball pitcher, and the coverage noted a sharp split between home and road outcomes during that season. He allowed 13 home runs in 44 1/3 home innings, compared with six on the road in 35 1/3 innings. The environment shift from the Oakland Coliseum to Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento was described as unfavorable for him, with the latter characterized as playing like a launching pad.
For the atlanta braves, the immediate question is role clarity more than long-term projection. With multiple arms sidelined and several pitchers carrying recent injury histories, Bido’s lack of minor league options and recent usage in shorter stints point toward a swing role—coverage described him as being in a strong position to make the club out of camp and provide innings as needed.
