The Atlanta Braves’ signing of Austin Cox may not grab headlines, but it reflects a pressing need: reliable bullpen depth. Cox, a 28-year-old left-hander, has limited big-league experience—just 35.2 innings across 24 games (mostly in relief)—with a career ERA of 4.54. While not dominant, he’s shown flashes of competence, and his minor-league résumé (3.67 ERA over 500 innings with 8.4 K/9) suggests he’s capable of stabilizing a bullpen that’s currently looking for answers.
This season, Cox has logged a 3.55 ERA in AAA over 12.2 innings, and while those aren’t overwhelming numbers, they’re serviceable—especially for a Braves team hungry for any arm that can eat innings and keep games within reach. With the club struggling to maintain consistent relief work early in the season, Cox represents a low-risk, potentially useful addition.
He likely won’t be a long-term solution, but if he can provide quality innings in middle relief or mop-up roles, it could help Atlanta weather this early-season turbulence.
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