The Atlanta Braves are heading into the regular season with major questions surrounding their pitching rotation. It began when it was announced that Spencer Schwellenbach would start the season on the injured list with an elbow injury.
“The Braves opened camp this morning with an unwelcome update on talented young righty Spencer Schwellenbach. He’s been placed on the 60-day injured list due to inflammation in his right elbow, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com. The team’s hope is that the 25-year-old is dealing with bone spurs and not something more nefarious,” MLB Trade Rumors’ Steve Adams wrote.
Filling one spot in the rotation is manageable. However, injuries were a major factor in the Braves’ struggles last season, and the situation worsened during Spring Training when Hurston Waldrep revealed a similar issue.
“The Atlanta Braves’ rotation took another hit Sunday when manager Walt Weiss said right-hander Hurston Waldrep may need surgery to remove “loose bodies” found in his arm. Waldrep complained of discomfort after throwing batting practice. Weiss said an MRI showed no ligament damage, but the team is waiting to learn more after Waldrep has additional tests,” ESPN wrote.
Atlanta has explored options to replace the two starters, and JR Ritchie has become a name to watch. New manager Walt Weiss commented on the possibility of Ritchie making the Opening Day roster.
“It’s a process, right?” Weiss said. “I mean, sometimes guys are called up out of necessity, and sometimes they knock the door down and you’ve got to call them up. So, the circumstances can be different from one guy to the next. But ideally, when he’s ready, it’s like, ‘Man, we have to call this guy up.’ That’s the ideal situation, right? As opposed to maybe forcing it out of necessity.”
It appears the Braves prefer for Ritchie to continue developing in the minors before joining the MLB roster, though his talent is undeniable. Atlanta likes what it has in the former 35th overall pick.
Despite the injuries to Schwellenbach and Waldrep, the Braves remain confident in the current makeup of their rotation. However, if an opportunity arises during the season, Ritchie could be the first to get the call.
