ATLANTA, September 29, 2026. The Braves added infielders Rowdy Tellez and Luke Williams to their roster for the National League Wild Card Series against Philadelphia, giving Atlanta two additional position-player options for the best-of-three matchup.
Reuters reported the roster changes on September 29. The club’s official MLB transactions page provides the running record for corresponding organizational moves.
How Atlanta opened roster space
The Braves selected the contracts of both infielders. Right-handed pitcher Ricky Vanasco was designated for assignment to create one 40-man roster opening, while right-hander Elieser Hernández was no longer listed on the 40-man roster. Infielder Kyle Farmer was not included on the active Wild Card roster.
Those moves affect different lists. A postseason active roster determines who can play in the series, while the 40-man roster controls the larger pool of players under major-league roster protection. Designating a player for assignment starts a separate process in which a club has a limited period to trade, release or outright the player, subject to league rules.
What Tellez and Williams bring
Tellez appeared in seven major-league games for Atlanta during the regular season. At Triple-A Gwinnett, he hit .267 with 16 home runs and 67 RBIs in 102 games. He also has previous postseason experience, including two home runs for Milwaukee during the 2021 NL Division Series against Atlanta.
Williams played two games for the Braves in 2026 and hit nine home runs with 31 RBIs and 37 stolen bases across 103 games at Gwinnett. The 30-year-old had appeared for five major-league clubs over six seasons without a postseason appearance before this roster selection.
The announcement concerns roster availability and does not predict how either player will be used. AskNovus previously reported on Houston’s Wild Card roster decisions in the American League.
Sources
- Atlanta Braves transactions, accessed September 29, 2026
- Reuters/Field Level Media, September 29, 2026
Featured photo: Tim Gouw via Unsplash; illustrative baseball-stadium image.