Charlie Culberson: Announces retirement from baseball
Rotowire
Culberson announced his retirement from baseball Thursday.
Culberson, 35, attempted to convert to pitching during spring training, but he was released by Atlanta in late March and never caught on with a new club. The utility player slashed .248/.294/.386 over parts of 11 major-league seasons.
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Charlie Culberson: Released by Atlanta
Rotowire
Atlanta released Culberson on Friday, Grant McAuley of 929 The Game reports.
Culberson was attempted to convert to pitcher this spring but was roughed up for six runs over two innings of work. It's unclear at this point whether the 34-year-old will continue giving it a go as a pitcher, revert to his more familiar utility role or even call it a career.
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Braves' Charlie Culberson: Converting to pitching
Rotowire
Culberson signed a minor-league contract with Atlanta on Friday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
The big news here is that Culberson has been signed as a reliever, as the 34-year-old will attempt to make a late-career switch to the mound. For what it's worth, Culberson has allowed one run over 7.1 innings covering eight mop-up appearances in his career. He'll report to minor-league camp to begin the conversion.
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Braves' Charlie Culberson: Back with Atlanta
Rotowire
Culberson signed a minor-league contract with Atlanta on Friday.
Culberson has spent four of the last six years with Atlanta and he will stick with the organization despite initially getting designated for assignment and then electing free agency after the team brought in Nicky Lopez at the trade deadline. Culberson was released by the Rays this year during spring training and has been released and re-signed by Atlanta twice already this season while only playing in 24 games at Triple-A and one game in the majors.
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Charlie Culberson: Elects free agency
Rotowire
Culberson declined an outright assignment to Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday and elected to become a free agent, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Culberson was designated for assignment by Atlanta on Monday, shortly after the NL East leaders acquired Nicky Lopez in a trade with the Royals. Culberson 34, has batted just .248/.294/.375 over his last 396 major-league plate appearances dating back to the beginning of the 2021 season.
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Braves' Charlie Culberson: Remains in organization
Rotowire
Culberson cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday.
The 34-year-old was designated for assignment Monday but will remain in the organization after he passed through waivers unclaimed. Culberson has played in just one big-league game this year and has a .489 OPS in 24 contests at Triple-A.
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Braves' Charlie Culberson: Roster casualty after Lopez trade
Rotowire
Atlanta designated Culberson for assignment Monday.
Culberson became expendable after Atlanta required another utility player in Nicky Lopez in a trade with Kansas City on Sunday. Despite now having two separate one-month stints on Atlanta's 26-man active roster this season, Culberson has logged just one plate appearance while manager Brian Snitker has leaned heavily on his everyday players in the infield.
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Braves' Charlie Culberson: Added to roster
Rotowire
Atlanta selected Culberson's contract from Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday.
It's the second stint in the big leagues this season for Culberson, although he's yet to see any action. He'll operate in a utility role with Atlanta.
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Braves' Charlie Culberson: Back with Atlanta
Rotowire
Culberson signed a minor-league contract with Atlanta on Tuesday.
After being DFA'd by Atlanta on June 18 and electing free agency, Culberson will return to Atlanta's farm system without a 40-man roster spot. Culberson was with the big-league club for roughly a month this season but never appeared in a game. He's slashing just .204/.234/.255 through 107 plate appearances with Triple-A Gwinnett and will have to drastically turn things around for another chance in the bigs.
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Charlie Culberson: Elects free agency
Rotowire
Culberson cleared waivers and elected free agency Sunday, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Culberson was designated for assignment by Atlanta last weekend, and he'll choose to become a free agent rather than accepting a minor-league assignment with the organization. Over 70 games with the Rangers last year, he hit .252 with two homers, 19 runs, 12 RBI and two steals.
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Braves' Charlie Culberson: DFA'd by Atlanta
Rotowire
Culberson was designated for assignment by Atlanta on Sunday.
The big club selected Culberson's contract from Triple-A Gwinnett on May 19, but he never saw game action despite being around for nearly a month. The 34-year-old could return to the affiliate should he go unclaimed on waivers.
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Braves' Charlie Culberson: Back in majors
Rotowire
Atlanta selected Culberson's contract from Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday.
He's taking the roster spot vacated by Braden Shewmake, who was optioned Thursday. It's a return home of sorts for Culberson, who played in Atlanta from 2018-20. He'll operate in a utility role.
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Braves' Charlie Culberson: Returns to Atlanta
Rotowire
Culberson signed a minor-league contract with Atlanta on Friday.
Culberson opted out of his minor-league deal with the Rays last week and is now headed back to Atlanta, where he played from 2018-20. The 33-year-old is a favorite of manager Brian Snitker, but if he winds up playing much it's probably not a great sign for Atlanta.
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Charlie Culberson: Released by Rays
Rotowire
The Rays released Culberson on Friday.
Culberson had a clause in his contract that allowed him to opt out of his contract should he not make the 40-man roster out of spring training. The Rays had no room for the 33-year-old infielder, so Culberson will once again hit the open market. He slashed .252/.283/.357 in 124 plate appearances with the Rangers last season.
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Rays' Charlie Culberson: Gets NRI from Tampa Bay
Rotowire
Culberson agreed Thursday with the Rays on a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to major-league spring training, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Culberson posted a rough .252/.283/.357 batting line with two home runs and two stolen bases over 68 games (124 plate appearances) last season with the Rangers. The veteran utilityman has experience at just about every position on the diamond, but he turns 34 years old in April and seems doubtful to be a significant contributor for the Rays in 2023.
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Rangers' Charlie Culberson: Solo homer in win
Rotowire
Culberson went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's victory against the Yankees.
Culberson launched a solo homer off Domingo German in the bottom of the third frame, evening the score up at 1-1. The long ball was his second of the year, both of which have come over his last four appearances with the Rangers. Culberson will wrap up the 2022 campaign having posted a .252 average with two homers, 12 RBI, 19 runs and two stolen bases over 115 at-bats in 70 games.
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Rangers' Charlie Culberson: Slugs homer in win
Rotowire
Culberson entered Wednesday's game as a pinch hitter and hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning of a 16-4 win over the Rockies.
With the Rangers holding a large lead, interim manager Tony Beasley gave Culberson a plate appearance in the ninth, sending him up to pinch hit for Marcus Semien. This was Culberson's first plate appearance since Aug. 16. As the Rangers look to give developmental playing time to younger guys, like Ezequiel Duran, Culberson's opportunities could dry up over the final five weeks.
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Rangers' Charlie Culberson: Scratched from lineup
Rotowire
Culberson was scratched from the lineup for Thursday's game in Miami.
He had been scheduled to pick up a start in the middle infield while Corey Seager received a breather following his appearance in Los Angeles for the All-Star Game on Tuesday. Culberson's removal from the lineup isn't believed to be the result of any injury; instead, the Rangers are likely just eager to get a look at rookie Ezequiel Duran, who was called up from Triple-A Round Rock after Brad Miller (neck) was placed on the 10-day injured list. Duran will start at second base and bat ninth while Marcus Semien mans shortstop.
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Rangers' Charlie Culberson: Enters for injured Smith
Rotowire
Culberson entered Friday's game in the top of the ninth inning after third baseman Josh Smith was removed with a shoulder injury.
Culberson was then removed for pinch hitter Andy Ibanez in the bottom half of the ninth against right-hander Paul Sewald. Smith had started four of the last five games and was emerging as the primary option at the hot corner. If Smith misses time, Culberson will probably start against lefties while Ibanez slots in against righties.
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Rangers' Charlie Culberson: Gets another start vs. lefty
Rotowire
Culberson will start at third base and bat ninth Thursday against the Astros.
The righty-hitting Culberson will draw into the lineup against a lefty starting pitcher (Framber Valdez), and most of the 33-year-old's starting opportunities moving forward should come against southpaws. After delivering a massive .932 OPS in 144 plate appearances versus lefties in 2021, Culberson has dropped down to a .633 OPS in 32 plate appearances early this year.
