The Braves are promoting pitching prospect JR Ritchie to start tomorrow afternoon’s game against the Nationals, reports Harrison Smajovits of Sports Illustrated. Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports that Didier Fuentes is being optioned back to Triple-A Gwinnett in the corresponding transaction. Atlanta will also promote Carlos Carrasco to work in long relief.
Fuentes was just recalled this morning. He started this evening but labored over three innings, allowing seven hits and a walk. Fuentes’ inefficiency forced the Braves to bring in Martín Pérez for long relief. The veteran southpaw tossed three innings of two-run ball, which obviously took him out of consideration to start tomorrow’s ballgame.
Atlanta needed a spot starter for the finale of their four-game set in Washington. Long relievers José Suarez and Dylan Dodd each pitched on Tuesday, and Dodd is reportedly going on the injured list. A bullpen game would have been a lot to ask. Reynaldo López only completed one inning last night, so every Braves reliever has pitched within the past two days.
Ritchie was the logical candidate to take the ball. The 2022 supplemental first-round draftee has been Gwinnett’s best pitcher in the early going. Ritchie has only given up three runs through his first 27 1/3 innings while striking out 26.2% of opposing hitters. He has tiptoed around erratic command, as he’s walked 13 batters and plunked four more.
Although the 22-year-old isn’t a finished product, he’s likely to be up and down throughout the season as a key rotation depth piece. Baseball America ranks Ritchie as the #2 prospect in the Atlanta system, crediting him with a deep arsenal and a chance to be a #4 starter. Ritchie has been in the 93-94 mph range with his four-seam fastball and sinker this season. He throws four distinct offspeed pitches — a changeup, cutter, slider and curveball.
It’s past the point at which Ritchie can reach a full year of service time in 2026. He was on the preseason Top 100 lists at each of BA, MLB Pipeline and ESPN. He therefore meets the threshold for the Prospect Promotion Incentive and could “earn” a service year if he finishes top two in Rookie of the Year balloting. The Braves would not receive an extra draft choice in that scenario because he wasn’t on the MLB roster for 172+ days.
There’s a decent chance this is a one-off appearance regardless. Ritchie will be the only healthy, optionable pitcher on their active roster aside from top setup man Dylan Lee. Atlanta has an off day on Monday. The Braves could option Ritchie after tomorrow’s appearance to get an extra bullpen arm up for their weekend series against the Phillies. Pérez would be ready to start in the middle of next week. Spencer Strider probably only needs one more rehab outing before he returns to the rotation.
Pushing their chips to the center of the table.
Guaranteed at least a 5-2 road trip even if they lose in tomorrow’s game and sets up their best starters for this weekend against the Phillies. This move just kind of makes sense without putting too much pressure on Ritchie for his debut
Braves/aa have never been one to hold back talent. If you’re ready, youre next up.
YES! Finally! Thank you Royals for giving us that pick for Waters.
The Braves hope JR and Cookie can go the full 9 innings tomorrow. It would make a huge difference if the entire pen is rested for the Series this weekend with the Phillies. They will add another pen arm or two for the weekend series after they send down JR and Cookie (DFA).
Do you know how many complete games the Braves have this season? Zero. Do you know the number of complete games that leads MLB? One. Teams almost never allow them, let alone hope for them.
The Braves hope ‘JR (Richie) and Cookie (Carasco) can go the full game.’ They added one pitcher to go the 8th then cookie in the 9th.
Not sure what you mean by complete game. JR went 7 amazingly— but no one would ever think a rookie making his debut would go 9.
Sweep the Phillies. Put your boot down on their necks! Kick them while they’re down! Go for the jugular, Braves!
I’m excited to see him but the Braves are officially testing their depth to its limit at this point and if all comes from Lopez not being able to have a competent start against a bad team. This is why fans were screaming for more depth in the rotation even before the injuries.
I don’t think burning Suarez, Hamilton, and Payamps is as big of a deal as you’re making it to be.
These guys don’t get into games unless they are on the wrong side of getting shelled anyway.
I’m talking about starting pitching depth. And you do want to perverse ur pen as much as possible, u are forced to use other arms during times you dont want to when u burn the bullpen like that. But im focused on starting pitching here mostly
Ok and how exactly did his bad start impact starting pitching? Are you talking about Martin Perez getting used? Because that’s due to Fuentes getting blown up in the first inning yesterday.
No idea what you’re talking about bro. Care to fully explain to me like I’m stupid how Reynaldo’s bad start impacted starting pitching? I’d love to hear this.
The Nats aren’t a bad team, and they have a good offense somehow. It was cold and Lopez has never pitched great in cold weather. Relax. First place
That’s not true. He pitched in Chicago for a good while. And true, the Nats offense is decent but not one he should have fell apart against. But don’t read this as what it isn’t, I’m fully acknowledging it was just a bad outing. I’m merely pointing out, our depth is now fully being tested in a situation you would have hoped to easily avoid. That’s it
Merely pitching in Chicago doesn’t make you good in cold weather. He’s always struggled, even at home in Chicago. But yeah, I agree, it would have been nice to not have the back to back short outings for sure.
Also worth noting that the guy the Braves dominated last night, Littell, was one that “fans” were clamoring for. Everyone the fans wanted to sign is off to an awful start. That’s why fans don’t drive team decisions.
I think context is important here, because at the beginning of the offseason when real fans were begging for SP depth, he was not remotely on anyways radar. But once our depth wiped out and the offseason was coming to an end, yea.. he was like the only option at a cheap cost with a decent history you can bank on both in performance and health. It’s more reasonable to think he would have been healthy and pitch well than it was to assume that our rotation would stay healthy at the beginning of the offseason, which ultimately we were right because it didn’t start healthy. So u may get an “I told you so” type moment here, but to do so, you have to purposely ignore some major context
What context though? Cease has been bad and would have cost us a pick, Valdez has been bad and would have cost us a pick, etc.
You act like AA has any better idea. I’m grateful for the good starts from this staff so far but imagine thinking it holds up long term.
We’re basically hoping it lasts long enough to get Strider and Schwellenbach back. Then hope Sale and Holmes can last a full year without getting injured themselves.
Expectations Elder, Reynaldo, and Perez will pitch like this for much longer than a month is naive.
Unless you’re a narcissist, you would have to assume that the GM of the actual team does know better. Reynaldo had a sub-2 ERA two years ago. Elder has made actual adjustments both to his mechanics and his repertoire. Perez has been an all-star.
If being a Braves fan while they are in first place makes you so unhappy, pick a new team.
That was a short time for Didier Fuentes in the major leagues. Anyways, Ritchie is good and is likely a reliable starter for the Braves this year.
You be cocky and arrogant, even when you’re getting beat. That’s the secret. You gotta play this game with fear and arrogance.
NOT MY RITCHIE!!!
If the Nats stay true to their historic form against first-time starters Ritchie will eat them alive for about five!
He went 7.