Braves make incredibly cold move with timing of Charlie Culberson DFA
Apr 28, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker (43) in the dugout before a game against the Chicago Cubs at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
The Atlanta Braves made a roster move on Sunday that turned out to have some incredibly brutal timing for the player involved.
The Braves designated utility player Charlie Culberson for assignment before Sunday’s game against the Colorado Rockies. That in itself is a rough moment for any player, but the timing was made much worse by the Braves’ scheduled Father’s Day festivities. Culberson’s father was scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, but those duties were quickly reassigned to Michael Harris II’s father.
Charlie Culberson's dad was scheduled to throw today's first pitch. Michael Harris II's dad will now take this honor on Father's Day.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 18, 2023
Major League Baseball is fundamentally a business, and this is a fine reminder of that. The Braves obviously felt that this was a roster move they needed to make, but the timing could not have been much worse.
The only bright side is that Culberson presumably learned of the move from the Braves themselves. There have been plenty of examples of players in other sports not getting that sort of courtesy.
