Thu Mar 20 00:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Braves Release Veteran Lefty Jake Diekman

**Atlanta, GA (March 19, 2025)** – The Atlanta Braves have released veteran left-handed reliever Jake Diekman, the team announced today. Diekman, 38, was a non-roster invitee to spring training but was reassigned to minor league camp on Sunday. This follows the recent release of catcher Curt Casali earlier this week.

Diekman pitched 7 1/3 innings in seven Grapefruit League games for Atlanta, posting a 4.91 ERA with eight strikeouts and a 45% ground-ball rate. While his spring performance wasn’t spectacular, it’s considered a small sample size given his extensive, albeit inconsistent, major league career. In 2024, he pitched for the New York Mets, recording a 5.63 ERA in 32 innings. He’s known for both his high strikeout rate and high walk rate.

Despite his command issues throughout his career, Diekman has often offset them with a high strikeout rate and ground ball tendencies, leading to double plays. As recently as 2023, he posted a 3.34 ERA. His overall career ERA stands at 3.91.

Diekman’s release, along with the recent trade of Angel Perdomo, suggests that Dylan Lee and Aaron Bummer will be the only left-handed relievers in the Braves bullpen. Raisel Iglesias, Pierce Johnson will also be key players in the late-inning roles. Some speculate that Diekman could be picked up by another team seeking a veteran lefty.

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