Austin

Cox

All will likely become free agents. Payamps, an excellent setup man for the Brewers in 2023 and ’24, struggled throughout last season and was designed for assignment by Milwaukee on Sept. 20. The Braves picked him up for the last seven days of the season, and he allowed one run in 2 2/3 innings. They might have some interest in bringing him back at a cut from the $3 million he earned in 2025.

Cox allowed two homers to Kyle Schwarber while giving up seven runs in three innings of relief work in last night’s loss to the Phillies. It left him with an 8.86 ERA in 21 1/3 innings this season.

Cox will likely just be an opener who goes a couple of innings — at most — before giving way to another reliever. The start comes as Spencer Strider was scratched Saturday because of the long rain delay. Cox shouldn’t be added to fantasy lineups. You already knew that.

It’s Cox’s fourth stint in the Braves pen this season. To date, he’s allowed two runs and struck out 11 over eight innings.

Cox has ping-ponged between Atlanta’s bullpen mix and Triple-A Gwinnett over the last few weeks, compiling a respectable 2.25 ERA and 11/1 K/BB ratio across eight innings (six appearances) in the big leagues. He should be back at some point in late July or early August.

Cox take the roster spot of Spencer Schwellenbach after Schwellenbach was diagnosed with a fracture in his right elbow. Cox will be a multi-inning option for Atlanta in this stint with the club.

Cox allowed one run on two hits in two innings on Wednesday, striking out three and walking nobody. He’ll get sent to the minors to allow a fresh arm to join the bullpen.

Cox was up briefly earlier this month for Atlanta but didn’t end up getting into a game. The 28-year-old lefty provides the club with some extra relief depth until they need to fill Chris Sale’s rotation spot in a couple days.

Cox heads back to the minors to make room for veteran reliever José Ruiz, who was claimed off waivers from the Phillies earlier this weekend. The 28-year-old southpaw didn’t end up making an appearance for Atlanta during his one-game stint with the club.

Cox joins Atlanta’s relief mix for Saturday’s showdown against the Giants after signing a minor league pact with the club last month. The 28-year-old lefty hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since tearing his ACL during the 2023 season when he was with the Royals. He’s struck out nearly 26 percent of the batters he’s faced this season at the Triple-A level and should factor into Atlanta’s middle relief mix.