Braves claim former Phillies utility man off waivers
The Atlanta Braves claimed former Philadelphia Phillies utility man Luke Williams off of waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday, the club announced. Williams was subsequently optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett.
A third-round pick by the Phillies in the 2015 MLB Draft, Williams appeared in 58 games for the Phillies in 2021, slashing .245/.315/.316 with a .651 OPS. Williams became an early fan-favorite after he hit a walk-off home run against the Braves in his first career start on June 9 of that season:
The Braves mark the fourth organization that Williams has been a part of since the Phillies designated him for assignment in March of 2022, doing so to open up a roster spot for the recently-signed Nick Castellanos. Williams has since seen limited Major League action with the San Francisco Giants, Miami Marlins and Dodgers.
Outside of Philadelphia, the more notable part of this transaction is that the Braves transferred All-Star lefty Max Fried to the 60-day injured list to make room for Williams on the 40-man roster. Fried is dealing with a strained forearm that has sidelined him since early May.
Additionally, the Braves also optioned RHP Michael Soroka to Triple-A as well. Soroka was an All-Star in 2019, and looked like one of the sport’s budding young stars as he finished sixth in NL Cy Young Award voting. But he tore his right achilles twice, causing him to miss the entirety of the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Soroka’s return to the Braves was one of the feel-good stories of 2023, but evidently he wasn’t yet ready, as the 25-year-old posted an 8.38 ERA across two starts.
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