The Atlanta Braves recalled right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday and scheduled him to start Wednesday’s game against the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis.
Ace left-hander Chris Sale was originally slated to start on Wednesday, but he was bumped to Friday, when the Braves open a three-game road series against the National League-leading Milwaukee Brewers. Right-hander Grant Holmes is starting a makeup game against the host Chicago White Sox on Thursday.
Smith-Shawver, 23, underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery in June 2025 and was expected to miss part or all of the 2026 campaign.
He made his season debut on July 29, starting against the host New York Mets in Game 1 of a doubleheader. He allowed two runs on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings of Atlanta’s 3-2 defeat. He was optioned to Gwinnett after the game.
Smith-Shawver was 2-0 with a 1.66 ERA, nine walks and 25 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings over five starts with Gwinnett. He was the International League Pitcher of the Week for Aug. 10-16 after striking out a season-high seven batters over 5 1/3 scoreless one-hit innings of a no-decision.
He is 4-2 with a 3.79 ERA, 36 walks and 70 strikeouts in 78 1/3 innings over 17 games (16 starts) in parts of four seasons with Atlanta since 2023. Smith-Shawver is 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA in four innings over two postseason games (one start).
In other moves on Tuesday, the Braves designated right-hander Tyler Kinley for assignment and signed veteran catcher Chuckie Robinson to a minor league contract.
Kinley, 35, is 6-5 with one save, a 4.01 ERA, 20 walks and 42 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings over 49 relief appearances this season, his second with Atlanta.
For his career, Kinley is 25-19 with 22 saves, a 4.67 ERA, 180 walks and 384 strikeouts in 374 innings over 391 games, all in relief, for the Twins (2018), Miami Marlins (2018-19), Colorado Rockies (2020-25) and Braves.
Robinson, 31, was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 12 after batting .087 (2-for-23) in eight games.
He is a career .124 hitter with two home runs and six RBIs in 60 games for the Cincinnati Reds (2022), White Sox (2024) and Dodgers (2025-26).
