Joel Payamps: Everything you need to know

Payamps (0-1) took the loss Sunday against the Diamondbacks, failing to record an out and giving up an unearned run on one hit. The right-hander took the mound to begin the 10th inning in a 5-5 game, and Ketel Marte drove the first pitch he saw from Payamps off the wall in right field to bring home the phantom runner. Payamps has made three appearances so far this season and been tagged for a run in all three, although two of them were unearned. He carries a 6.75 ERA and 2:1 K:BB through 1.1 innings, and while he recorded 27 combined holds and saves as recently as 2024 for the Brewers, Payamps seems a long way from regular high-leverage duty for Atlanta.

Payamps gave up a hit over two scoreless innings of relief in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates. He struck out two without walking a batter. The right-hander has had a strong spring, posting a 0.00 ERA and 7:1 K:BB over 6.2 innings. Payamps fell apart in 2025 for the Brewers before getting waived late in the season and winding up in Atlanta, but over the two prior seasons he'd recorded a 2.78 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 9.4 K/9 in 129.2 innings. He'll try to regain that form while beginning the 2026 campaign in a middle-relief role for Atlanta.

Atlanta signed Payamps to a one-year, $2.25 million contract Sunday. Payamps joined Atlanta as a waiver claim in late September and was outrighted to Triple-A on Nov. 6. That move was likely made by the team to avoid an arbitration hearing, as the $2.25 million agreed to by the sides Sunday is probably less than what the veteran reliever would have received in arbitration. Regardless, Payamps now seems ticketed for a role in Atlanta's bullpen in 2026. He's had plenty of major-league success but will be looking to rebound from a career-worst 2025 campaign during which he posted a 6.84 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 24:9 K:BB over 26.1 innings across 30 appearances between Atlanta and Milwaukee.