We know how much the Atlanta Braves under Alex Anthopoulos seem to love reunions. Jesse Chavez inevitably ending up with the Braves each season turned into a meme and we have seen Atlanta bring back players like Jorge Soler and Eddie Rosario previously as well. Hell, it was just a couple weeks ago that the Braves reunited with Raisel Iglesias. Comfort level and having knowledge about a player is something the Braves value highly and may have informed their latest signing.

After a number of surprising departures and the uncertainty around Joe Jimenez, the Braves’ bullpen is looking surprisingly vulnerable at the moment even with bringing Iglesias back. To provide some added depth, Atlanta just signed old friend Danny Young to a split contract for 2026.

The problem is that while this is a reunion with a reliever that has some upside, he isn’t likely to be available soon since he had Tommy John surgery last May.

The #Braves today signed LHP Danny Young to a one-year, split contract for the 2026 season.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) December 2, 2025Danny Young gives the Braves some cheap bullpen depth, but don’t expect much from him for a while

If you were hoping that this signing would be the next major Braves addition, you may want to brace for disappointment. Young was passable with the Mets the last couple of years and his ability to get ground ball and miss bats are traits Atlanta loves. However, having elbow surgery last May means that, at minimum, Young won’t take the mound until at least late May with a second half debut far more likely.

In going after Young as an arm who has played for the organization before, the Braves are planning ahead here. Any pitcher coming off TJS is a risk, but a split contract is essentially nothing when it comes to payroll and Atlanta laying their claim now could pay off massively when they inevitably need bull reinforcements during the stretch run.

At the end of the day, if the signing doesn’t work out, then no big loss given the minimal investment. And if Young bounces back from injury and throws well, they get a quality lefty reliever basically for free. It may not be the splashy move fans want to see, but these are the types of moves that every good team does along the way.