José Azócar elected free agency after clearing outright waivers, according to the MLB.com transaction log. The Braves designated the outfielder for assignment on Wednesday when Eli White returned from a concussion.
Azócar has had two brief stints on Atlanta’s roster this season. He has appeared in nine games, going 5-15 with a pair of doubles and a stolen base. The 30-year-old Venezuela native is a career .248/.293/.325 hitter over 434 plate appearances, most of which came with the Padres between 2022-23.
Around the MLB calls, Azócar has had a solid start to the year with Triple-A Gwinnett. He’s batting .270/.348/.420 with a couple homers and eight steals in 10 tries over 30 minor league games. Azócar has played all three outfield spots and has plus speed off the bench.
There’s a good chance he’ll circle back to the Braves on a minor league deal in the next couple days. Azócar also elected free agency after a DFA on May 8, only to re-sign three days later. He’s out of options and needs to go through waivers each time the Braves want to send him down after a stint on MLB roster.
