Connor

Thomas

Atlanta just continues to shuffle their bullpen. Thomas allowed four runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings on Tuesday, so the team will send him down to bring up another fresh arm.

Thomas has not pitched in the majors since he was shellacked for 12 runs in 5 1/3 innings (20.25 ERA) for Milwaukee in 2025. The 28-year-old will be a multi-inning option for Atlanta while he’s with the club, but isn’t likely to see many chances for wins or saves.

Thomas was lit up for 12 runs over 5 1/3 innings over a pair of relief appearances for the Brewers back in April before undergoing season-ending elbow surgery, which will keep him out until midway through next season. The 27-year-old pitching prospect represents a low-risk depth addition for Atlanta as organizational relief depth.

A Rule 5 pick from the Cardinals organization, Thomas would typically be offered back to his old team after clearing waivers. However, Thomas had already cleared waivers once as a member of the Cardinals, meaning he can become a free agent, which is what he has chosen to do. Thomas, 27, gave up 12 earned runs in 5 1/3 innings for the Brewers in April before eventually undergoing elbow surgery in July. He’s expected to be sidelined into the middle of 2026.

The exact nature of the surgery won’t be known until after the procedure, but Thomas is certainly done for the rest of the season. The 27-year-old lefty has been out since early April with elbow issues. He was a Rule 5 pickup from the Cardinals in the offseason.

The procedural move opens up a spot on Milwaukee’s 40-man roster for veteran Easton McGee ahead of Sunday’s game against the Twins. The 26-year-old lefty hit the injured list last month with elbow arthritis and remains without a clear return timetable.

Thomas made Milwaukee’s season-opening roster as a Rule 5 pick, but has been lit up to the tune of a bloated 20.25 ERA, 2.63 WHIP and 5/2 K/BB ratio across 5 1/3 innings (two appearances). It’s unclear how much time he’s going to miss at the moment.

Thomas was picked up from the Cardinals back in the offseason as a Rule 5 pickup and Milwaukee is going to carry him on their season-opening roster. The 26-year-old was an intriguing prospect a couple years ago, but doesn’t offer a ton of fantasy appeal as a long reliever.

A fifth-round pick by the Cardinals in 2019, Thomas has hung around but never had the chance to pitch at the highest level. The 26-year-old posted a solid 2.89 ERA in 56 appearances with Triple-A Memphis, so he might just get that chance if he can make the Brewers out of spring training.

No real surprises here among the latest batch of cuts from Cardinals camp, with Roby representing the highest profile name. The 22-year-old righty has more diverse opinions from scouts and evaluations than most prospects, but there’s no denying that he’s likely to reach the majors at some point during the 2024 campaign.