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NORTH PORT, Fla. — The Atlanta Braves sent reliever Jackson Stephens to Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday, clearing a spot on the opening day roster for fan favorite Jesse Chavez.

The 40-year-old Chavez was signed by the Braves a day earlier after being released by the Chicago White Sox, who jettisoned the veteran right-hander after he gave up nine earned runs in seven innings during spring training.

This will be Chavez’s fifth stint with Atlanta.

“It’s good to be home,” Chavez said, choking back tears. “Words can’t express how I feel right now. There’s so many emotions going on with how I feel about Braves country that it’s really tough.”

The right-hander was one of the team’s most effective relievers in the first half last season, posting a 1.56 ERA with one save in 36 games. But he wound up missing more than three months after taking a comebacker off his left leg hit by Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera on June 24.

When Chavez returned late in the season, the Braves felt he was not as effective as he was before the injury and left him off their postseason roster. After the season, the Braves made no attempt to re-sign him, allowing him to join the White Sox.

Now, Chavez is back in more familiar surroundings for what he says will be his final season.

Stephens was outrighted to Gwinnett after posting a 3.68 ERA in six appearances covering 7 1/3 innings during spring training. It looked as though he would make the 26-man roster for Thursday’s scheduled opener at Philadelphia until the Braves got a chance to bring back Chavez for the long-relief role.

Chavez was first acquired by the Braves on Dec. 11, 2009, in a trade with Tampa Bay for Rafael Soriano before being traded to Kansas City less than a year later.

The Braves again obtained Chavez from the Chicago Cubs for reliever Sean Newcomb on April 21, 2022, before sending him to the Angels later that season in a deal that brought closer Raisel Iglesias to Atlanta.

The Braves selected Chavez off waivers later in the 2022 campaign and signed him again as a free agent heading into last season. He has played with nine teams — five of them multiple times — over his 16-year career.

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2025 MLB All-Star Game: Everything you need to know

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2025 MLB All-Star Game: Everything you need to know

For the first time since the turn of the century, MLB’s All-Star Game will be held in Atlanta — the first ever at Truist Park since its opening in 2017.

All-Star festivities begin July 11 and culminate in the Midsummer Classic on July 15, as the National League looks to gain just its second win since 2013 while the American League aims to extend its dominance.

Following the first phase of All-Star voting, we know the top overall vote-getters in each league — Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani — automatically earned the starting spot at their positions, outfield and designated hitter, respectively. Now, the starting lineups have been revealed, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers leading the way each with three starters, followed by the Chicago Cubs with two. Four players named as starters — Cal Raleigh, Jacob Wilson, Ryan O’Hearn and Pete Crow-Armstrong — are first-time All-Stars.

Stay tuned, as we’ll have everything you need to navigate All-Star Week — from event schedules and full rosters to All-Star Game analysis.

Vote for the All-Star starters: All-Star Ballot 2025

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How does MLB All-Star voting work?

2025 MLB All-Star roster predictions, biggest debates

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All-Star schedule

(All times ET)

July 2: MLB All-Star starters reveal at 7 p.m. on ESPN

July 6: MLB All-Star full rosters announced at 5 p.m. on ESPN

July 11: HBCU Swingman Classic at 8 p.m. on MLB Network

July 13: MLB Draft at 6 p.m. on ESPN and MLB Network

July 14: MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game at 1 p.m. on MLB Network

July 14: MLB Home Run Derby at 8 p.m. on ESPN

July 15: All-Star Red Carpet Show at 2 p.m. on MLB Network

July 15: MLB All-Star Game at 7 p.m. on FOX

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Rangers activate Burger from IL, demote Jung

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Rangers activate Burger from IL, demote Jung

The Texas Rangers reinstated first baseman Jake Burger from the 10-day injured list before Wednesday night’s series finale against the visiting Baltimore Orioles.

Burger, 29, missed the Rangers’ past 10 games with a left oblique strain. He is batting .220 with 10 homers and 29 RBIs in 65 games this season, his first with Texas.

Burger is a career .246 hitter with 82 home runs and 214 RBIs in 409 games with the Chicago White Sox (2021-23), Miami Marlins (2023-24) and Rangers.

The Rangers optioned All-Star third baseman Josh Jung to Triple-A Round Rock in a corresponding move. Jung, 27, is batting .237 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 75 games this season.

Jung is hitting .152 with one homer, eight RBIs and 13 strikeouts in his last 11 games.

Drafted No. 8 overall by Texas in 2019, Jung made the American League All-Star team in 2023 and is a career .252 hitter with 43 home runs and 135 RBIs in 269 games.

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Outfielder Pillar retires after 13-year career

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Outfielder Pillar retires after 13-year career

Kevin Pillar, an outfielder who spent the majority of his 13-year major league career with the Toronto Blue Jays, announced his retirement on Wednesday.

Pillar confirmed his decision during an appearance on the Foul Territory podcast, about a month after he was released by the Texas Rangers. After rehabilitating from offseason thumb surgery, Pillar played in 20 games for the Rangers – his 10th major league team – with nine hits in 43 at-bats.

Pillar, 36, was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 32nd round in 2011 and made his debut in 2013. He was traded to the San Francisco Giants early in the 2019 season, which was his best in the big leagues. He batted .264 with 21 home runs, 87 RBI and 14 steals for the Giants that year, before signing with the Boston Red Sox in 2020.

“You will always be our Superman,” the Blue Jays said in a congratulatory social media post.

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