The following season, Lukes had a cup of tea in the big leagues, playing 29 games where he had just 31 plate appearances. He hit below the Mendoza line, and failed to hit his first big league home run. With the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, Lukes slashed .366/.423/.530 with five home runs in 222 plate appearances that season. Lukes spent the majority of the 2024 season with the Bisons, slashing .335/.403/.463 with seven home runs in 243 plate appearances.
Azocar had a brief stint on Atlanta's MLB roster this year. He signed a big league deal on May 30 and spent a little over two weeks on Brian Snitker's bench. He was limited to two appearances, both as a late-game substitute, and flew out in his only at-bat. The Venezuela native also got into 12 games with the Mets earlier in the year. He made five starts and went 5-18 (all singles) with a pair of walks and a stolen base.
Ten-year MLB veteran Andy Kosco passed away earlier this month. He was 84 years old. Kosco played in 658 games for the Twins, Yankees, Dodgers, Brewers, Angels, Red Sox, and Reds from 1965-74. Primarily a corner outfielder, he appeared at all three outfield positions, as well as first and third base. Born October 5, 1941 in Ohio, Kosco grew up a multi-sport star but ultimately chose baseball, signing his first professional contract with the Tigers in 1959.