Braves right-hander Kyle Wright spoke to members of the media today, including David O’Brien of The Athletic, saying that he expects to remain on the injured list longer than his teammate Max Fried. He doesn’t provide a specific estimate but it’s a notable guess given that there was no previous timeline for Wright and the reported plan for Fried is to shut him down for long enough that he’ll need to completely build back up from scratch.
The club hasn’t provided any kind of specifics for what they expect for the two hurlers, but Mark Bowman of MLB.com interprets the situation by saying that the “expectation has been” that they will miss two months while O’Brien says that it appears Wright isn’t likely to be back until August.
The details are all murky at the moment but there seems to be little doubt that the club will be proceeding without two of its best starters for some significant amount of time that will likely be measured in months rather than days or weeks. The 27-year-old Wright got very limited big league action from 2018 to 2021 but had a breakout last year, posting a 3.19 ERA in 180 1/3 innings over 30 starts. He struck out 23.6% of batters faced while walking 7.2% and getting grounders at a 55.6% clip.
Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to build on that here this year, beginning the season on the injured list due to this shoulder issue. He was activated off the IL and made five starts but it’s now apparent that he wasn’t right in that time. His 93.6 mph fastball velocity was well down from last year’s 95.1 and he posted a 5.79 ERA.
Atlanta came into the season with a strong front four in its rotation, with Fried and Wright joined by Charlie Morton and Spencer Strider. The fifth spot was left open and Bryce Elder has seemingly taken the job over in recent weeks, posting a 1.74 ERA in seven starts so far this year. The club will now need to find replacements for Fried and Wright for the foreseeable future, with their depth having also taken a hit earlier this year when Ian Anderson required Tommy John surgery.
Options on the 40-man roster include lefties Dylan Dodd and Jared Shuster as well as righty Michael Soroka. The two lefties have each made a few starts in the big leagues this year but Dodd has a 6.46 ERA in his three outings whereas Shuster has an 8.31 ERA in his two. Soroka has hardly pitched at all since the 2019 season, mostly due to twice tearing his achilles tendon. He’s made five Triple-A starts this year, logging 20 2/3 innings with a 5.23 ERA in a once-a-week pitching schedule.
Looking outside the organization doesn’t provide many enticing options. Most teams are reluctant to part with valuable players at this time of the year when it’s too early for most to raise a white flag and start selling. Some players decently designated for assignment include Chase Anderson, Luis Cessa and Chase De Jong.
The raid on WhiteSox pitching goes through Atlanta.
Giolito and Fried could be teammates again.
Heck, the way things are going for the White Sox, Dylan Cease might become available considering how badly this team is playing.
No thanks on Cease. He looks awful. Not worth his weight in prospects ATL doesn’t have, like they would sell low on him after a Cy runner up season.
The Sox lack of pitching depth is so extreme that it could make many of the Braves pieces attractive if the Sox did, in fact, go rebuild 2.0.
The way Cease short arms the ball tells me he’s headed for major arm problems sooner rather than later. CWS should trade him before the process starts to unfold.
Headline should have read Wright’s arm is Fried
I also wondering if the Cardinals are going to be sellers early with their start. Jordan Montgomery maybe an option
Oh man. Heal up. ATL fortunate PHI and NYM laying an egg.
I feel like all three of those teams have been hit hard this season. I think the Braves have been able to weather the injury storm the best so far.
You’re absolutely correct rennick, all three teams have been hit with the injury bug.
The Braves have had to go through stretches without two of their best starters, two of their backup starters, three of their best bullpen arms including their closer, their SS, their other main catcher and DH, their centerfielder, etc.
That is why when the Braves were making little minor league signings or veteran MiL signings I tried to tell people the benefits those type of signings provide…
DEPTH is the name of the game, when it comes to such a long season, and having quality depth allows a team to get by whenever they are struck by injuries.
Even with AA doing an excellent job providing this team with solid depth and complimentary pieces, the Braves have still been pushed to their limits by injuries.
I just hope they are able to get by again with both Wright and Fried out yet again. This time it’ll be for alot longer, but at least they now have their offense and bullpen back and mostly healthy, so they’ll still be able to be a pretty competitive team…
Pretty sure they didn’t need Philly or NYM to lay an egg considering they have the second best record in baseball.
There’s no good fortune of other teams failing needed when people around them have stepped up to fill the gaps.
Braves have so much pitching depth, this won’t even phase them. Now if they lose a couple more starting pitchers, then maybe they might start sweating a bit. But this will be just a blip in the road.
Mets are a lock for the division now with both Fried and Wright out until August
Fangraphs depth charts isn’t even listing any other starter beyond Strider-Morton-Elder because the Braves don’t have any pitching depth
Strider-Morton-Elder-Shuster-Dodd-Soroka-Vines is all they have for the entire season
That isnt going to get it done
Mets are 8 back, can’t hit, can’t pitch and can’t beat losing teams. Mets were a lock last year and didn’t win.
Delusional take from the delusional LOLMets fan.
This is a funny take considering the current statuses of the Mets geriatrics, Scherzer & Verlander. Not to mention how terrible the whole Mets team has played in general. The Braves have a super deep farm…most of which is pitching.
Funny, when this happens to the Mets all the trolls are out ripping the organization and when it happens to the Braves it’s all, too bad, rest up, hope they’re alright.
Lolmets
Because the Mets are garbage, as is their fanbase.
“Because the Mets are garbage, as is their fanbase.”
I’m a Braves fan living in the Hudson Valley. Most Mets fans are not that bad. You just see the worst of them on this site. Yankee fans are usually worse bc they have been spoiled more over the years but they still are not that bad. They just have very high expectations.
You ain’t kidding, soco.
The Yankees jettisoned Torre back when the NYY were winning the AL East annually. Not good enough! I miss those days!
The Mets, to me, are the Brooklyn Dodgers before they got good. Never any consistent good run of success. And their fans are just fine.
Terrific analysis, omar.
A difference in organizational track record and culture?
Mets are oldest team in baseball, so when they get injured, it’s expected. There’s already a Mad Libs written for their season, just insert a few names and injury specifics and their story is written.
Actually, the Braves are the oldest team in baseball (1871).
Oh, wait. I don’t think you meant it that way.
Next man up.
At this point I’m less concerned about the Braves rotation than I am about Riley’s and Harris’ struggles at the plate.
Struggles at the plate are easier to overcome than persistent, structural injuries.
Eduardo Rodriguez for Vaughn Grissom. 4-2 1.57 ERA.
sign me up…they’d have to extend Eduardo though to make it worth it
Is Bartolo Colon available?
Rather have RA Dickey
YES! Bring in the fat man!
Robert Gesleman.
Gsood one!
C’mon Reds!
(Listening to Tommy Thrall and Jeff Brantley)
It’s not even the middle of May, I wouldn’t write off the Mets or the Phillies yet. It seems like everyone has serious injuries this year. The Mets aren’t as bad a team as they’ve looked the last two weeks. Some guy named Verlander pitched like himself in his second start back tonight. And there will be plenty of pitchers to pick up from second division teams come the trade deadline by all 3 teams. It’s a long season.
A lot of people will say a lot of things, but firstly you should never disrespect your opponent, mostly the people that do never played any type of team sport at any level.
There was this guy that is outside MLB that would fit right into this rotation with Fried and Wright down, but no chance the Braves sign him.
Two months without Fried, and maybe at least 4-6 months or more without Wright is going to be a real battle.
Bring back Julio Teheran!