Following last night’s game, the Braves made a slew of roster moves as they go for the series win over the Nationals.
Didier Fuentes, who tossed three innings and surrendered four earned runs in his return to the majors, has been optioned back to Triple-A Gwinnett. The stat line wasn’t pretty, but the seven strikeouts stand out, and he really settled in after a first inning that featured some poor luck paired with one big mistake.
This move likely isn’t even a reflection of how the organization viewed his performance. The Braves are simply in desperate need of fresh arms after Fuentes and Reynaldo Lopez combined to cover just four innings over the last two days.
The more intriguing part of the move? Another top prospect is stepping right into the spotlight. JR Ritchie is set to make his MLB debut in just a few hours. The 22-year-old right-hander has made four starts for Gwinnett this season, flashing a deep arsenal on his way to a 0.99 ERA. He’s earned the opportunity — but it won’t come easy against a Nationals lineup that’s swinging it as well as anyone in baseball right now.
Entering today’s series finale, the Braves lead the league in runs scored with 143, with Washington right behind them at 142. Not exactly what anyone expected coming into the year.
Additionally, veteran Carlos Carrasco will rejoin the club in place of Dylan Dodd, who is heading to the injured list.
All of a sudden, some of the Braves’ warts on the pitching staff are starting to show. The rotation still needs work, even if it’s been masked through the early part of the season, and the back end of the bullpen could use a boost as well.
The hope is they can address both at once. JR Ritchie and Didier Fuentes should both get multiple opportunities to prove they belong this year, and there are reinforcements on the way — most notably Spencer Strider, who could be back in less than two weeks.
If a couple of those arms stick, it gives the Braves flexibility to reshuffle roles and strengthen the staff as a whole.
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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)
