The Braves wanted a lefty Ken Waldichuk off the waiver wire for the Athletics, as announced by both teams. Striker Vidal Brujan designed for assignment to open up space on Atlanta’s 40-man roster.
UA appointed Waldichuk to work on December 22 in a concurrent move of Jeff McNeil trade, and Waldichuk then spent an extended period of time in DFA limbo by using an illegal vacation plan clause. The southpaw’s situation has now finally been resolved (coincidentally) on Waldichuk’s 28th birthday, and he’ll celebrate by heading to Atlanta in search of a fresh start for his career.
Once a top-100 hitter, Waldichuk posted a 5.28 ERA over 175 2/3 innings for the then-Oakland team during the 2022-23 seasons. Although the results weren’t stellar, there was hope that Waldichuk could continue to develop into a game-changing piece for the Athletics, but Tommy John surgery then derailed the lefty’s career. The May 2024 process kept Waldichuk from pitching at all in 2024, and he returned to throwing 54 innings of minor league ball last season. There was clearly still some rust, as Waldichuk has an 8.65 ERA and a 15.9% walk rate over 51 Triple-A frames.
Waldichuk is entering the first of four arbitration-eligible seasons as a Super Two player, and had already agreed to an $825K salary for the 2026 season. So the Braves will have more control over Waldichuk if he can develop into a late-season starter or reliever for Atlanta’s staff, and it makes for a low-cost risk on the team’s part.
Atlanta president of baseball Alex Anthopoulos has traditionally been aggressive in taking fliers from starters, and Waldichuk will replace another such player on the roster in Brujan. The salary impact is basically the same, as Brujan avoided arbitration (in the first of three years of the arb) by agreeing to a severance contract worth $825K in time spent in the majors.
Brujan was a regular on the top 100 list during his time in the Rays farm system, but never made it to the MLB level. Over 645 plate appearances in the Show, Brujan hit just .199/.267/.276 with five home runs, and his career took a road trip. Since Tampa Bay dealt Brujan to Miami in November 2023, Brujan has been available to four different teams – the Marlins in 2024, then the Cubs, Orioles, and Braves all during the 2025 campaign. Atlanta claimed him despite Baltimore’s waiver call in August, and Brujan’s .268/.362/.317 line over 47 PA for the Braves represents one of the better offensive phases of his career.
Now entering his age-28 season, Brujan can still attract another team that is impressed by his previous blue-chip status, albeit not in the minor leagues. Originally a center fielder, Brujan has experience at second base, shortstop, third base, and all three outfield positions as he has tried to increase his marketing as a utility man. With more than three years of MLB service left, Brujan would be able to decline an outright assignment if he clears waivers, though he would have to give up his 2026 salary to re-enter free agency.
