Report: Braves expected to add Blake Burkhalter and Kyle Farmer for September roster expansion

The Atlanta Braves are expected, according to a report from Yahoo Sports, to use their September roster expansion moves to bring up Blake Burkhalter and Kyle Farmer. The timing matters because MLB’s September call-ups come as teams adjust for the final stretch of the regular season and, for clubs within striking distance, potentially for the postseason roster decisions that follow.

In the report, Yahoo Sports frames the Braves’ approach as a balance of fresh talent and veteran support. Burkhalter is described as the player who could be making his debut at the major league level as Atlanta sets its final-month looks. Farmer, meanwhile, is characterized as the additional presence meant to shore up the bench, an important role as managers try to manage playing time across a long late-season schedule.

September roster rules allow each club to expand its active roster for the final month, which typically increases opportunities for fringe players, prospects nearing the upper level, and established role players returning from minor league workload cycles. For a team like the Braves, whose season is shaped by daily lineup and defensive needs, those spots are often used both to evaluate potential postseason contributors and to reduce wear and tear on starters.

Farmer’s reported function also fits the usual organizational logic for September. A veteran who can handle multiple defensive assignments and provide lineup flexibility gives a manager options in close games, when pinch-hit matchups or late-inning defensive substitutions become more frequent. In contrast, a call-up like Burkhalter’s, framed as potentially ushering in a first big-league appearance, gives the organization a clearer view of how a younger player handles major league pitching, baserunning speed, and the day-to-day demands of big-league tempo.

Even with the clear direction of the report, the key caveat is that Yahoo Sports is citing what it describes as a plan rather than an official Braves transaction announcement. The only way to treat the move as fully settled is to confirm it through Atlanta’s official communications or MLB’s corresponding roster updates when they become public. Until then, the expectation is best viewed as an informed projection aligned with how September roster management typically works.

For fans, the immediate question becomes how the Braves choose to deploy the two additions. If Burkhalter is indeed set for a first major league appearance, his usage will likely reveal the club’s priorities, whether it is learning on the job in lower-leverage spots or being inserted into a steadier role to evaluate at-bats against late-season pitching. If Farmer arrives primarily as bench support, his first assignments will also indicate how Atlanta plans to manage both left-right lineup construction and late-inning defense.

Looking ahead, what to watch is not only whether both players are officially added, but also how the Braves structure their late-season staffing around them. September call-ups can influence who gets rest, who gets more at-bats, and how quickly the team turns to contingency plans in case of lineup variability. If the Braves’ season is in a tight playoff picture, those small, roster-level decisions can carry outsized weight over the final weeks.