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Atlanta Braves Facing Decision After Roster Move
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- Atlanta Braves Facing Decision After Roster Move
Atlanta Braves Facing Decision After Roster Move
(© Brett Davis-Imagn Images)
The Atlanta Braves have managed to stay atop the National League East through two weeks of play despite a wave of injuries that has tested their pitching depth from the start of the 2026 season.
Atlanta won on Sunday to improve its record to 10-6, a strong position considering how many arms they have lost.
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Right-handers Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep are both sidelined after right elbow surgeries, and Spencer Strider has yet to make his season debut while recovering from an oblique strain on the 15-day injured list.
Those setbacks forced the Braves to lean heavily on veterans, including Martin Perez, who posted a 3.14 ERA across three appearances.
But on Sunday morning, the Braves made a roster move, designating Perez for assignment. "The #Braves today recalled LHP Dylan Dodd to Atlanta and designated LHP Martin Perez for assignment," the team wrote on X.
With Perez no longer on the roster, Braves manager Walt Weiss now has a decision to make on who will replace him in the starting rotation. Mark Bowman of MLB.com. reported two likely options to replace him after the roster move became official.
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"Dylan Dodd is up to provide bullpen depth. Martin Perez was DFA'd. Weiss said he isn't sure who will replace Perez in the rotation. Thursday's off day creates a chance to wait until next weekend to make a decision. That means both Ritchie and Fuentes would be options," Bowman wrote on Sunday.
Perez was reliable, but the Braves appear ready to shift toward younger, higher-upside options as they navigate the early portion of the season.
Didier Fuentes is the most exciting possibility for Braves fans. The 20-year-old right-hander made one appearance earlier this year, working four innings and striking out four before being optioned so he could continue building up as a starter.
The organization views him as a long-term rotation piece, and calling him back up would accelerate that timeline.
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JR Ritchie is another strong candidate. The former first-round pick from the 2022 MLB Draft is off to an impressive start at Triple-A, posting a 1.72 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings.
Both pitchers are right-handed, and both would likely receive an extended opportunity if chosen. With an off day Thursday, the Braves can delay the decision until next weekend, but the choice will shape how they manage their pitching staff moving forward.
Atlanta has stayed afloat through adversity, and now the club must decide which young arm will help carry that momentum into the next stretch of the season.
