The reality of playing in MLB can sometimes be quite harsh, and veteran infielder Charlie Culberson experienced it firsthand on Sunday. Culberson was designated for assignment by the Atlanta Braves on the same day his father, Charles, was supposed to throw the first pitch against the Colorado Rockies.
The Braves selected Culberson’s dad, a former minor league player, for the honor as part of the Father’s Day festivities at their Truist Park. However, before the game against the Rockies was set to start, Atlanta’s front office made a decision to DFA Culberson to call up catcher Chadwick Tromp.
Of course, the Braves scraped the original plan and had the father of outfielder Michael Harris II handle the first pitch duties. They went on to win the game 14-6 and improve to a 46-26 record.
Charlie Culberson signed a minor league contract with the Braves in March, returning to the franchise for his second stint. He started the season with Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers before being selected to the active roster in mid-May. However, the 34-year-old player didn’t make a single appearance in MLB since then.
Culberson made his MLB debut in 2012 with the San Francisco Giants and also played with the Colorado Rockies, LA Dodgers, and Texas Rangers. He has a career batting average of .248 with 30 home runs and 145 RBIs.
