Braves bring back reliever Joel Payamps

The Atlanta Braves announced this afternoon that they have agreed on a one-year deal with reliever Joel Payamps.

Payamps ended the 2025 season after the Braves claimed him off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers. Atlanta outrighted him off the 40-man roster earlier this off-season. He’ll return to the Braves with a $2.25M deal in 2026.

Payamps struggled in 30 games between the Braves and Brewers last season, but from 2021 through 2024 he was a highly-effective reliever. In 2023 and 2024, he struck-out more than 25-percent of the batters he faced while having a xFIP below 4.00 in both seasons.

Last year, his barrel rate increased significantly while strikeout rate took a downturn. In two games with Atlanta, he tossed 2.2 inning and struck out two but allowing a home run. Including his time in Milwaukee, he had a 6.84 ERA with 7.15 xERA across 26.1 innings – his fewest in the big leagues since 2020.

The 31-year-old right-hander will had some depth to the team’s bullpen should he stick with the team after Spring Training. Atlanta is his six big league organization since debuting with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2019.

Earlier this off-season, Atlanta declined their option on righty relievers Pierce Johnson and Tyler Kinley, leaving them with the re-signed Raisel Iglesais as the only established bullpen option from the right-side with the status of Joe Jimenez still uncertain for the start of 2026.