JR Ritchie gave the Atlanta Braves five scoreless innings of relief against the New York Mets on Friday night at Citi Field, and manager Walt Weiss said the rookie will slide into Spencer Strider's spot in the rotation.
Ritchie, the Braves' No. 2 prospect, was recalled Wednesday and entered in the fourth inning after Strider departed with what the team later diagnosed as right elbow inflammation. The 22-year-old struck out five, allowed two hits and walked two in a 7-5 loss to the Mets. A 2022 first-round pick, Ritchie made five starts earlier this season before getting a reset at Triple-A Gwinnett.
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Ritchie opened his major league career with seven innings of two-run ball against the Washington Nationals before the results cooled, carrying a 4.56 ERA into Friday. Ritchie has not made an appearance for Atlanta since a four-inning outing against the Marlins on May 18.
The Braves, who lead the majors at 45-24, placed Strider on the 15-day injured list Saturday. Weiss said that Ritchie will slot in for Strider's spot, making a long relief appearance, according to Harrison Smajovits of Sports Illustrated.
Strider, a 20-game winner in 2023, had been back barely six weeks. He returned May 3 from an oblique strain that cost him the season's first month, made eight starts and posted a 5.31 ERA before the elbow flared up Friday. His latest setback leaves Atlanta leaning on a prospect who has shuffled between the minors and majors all season.
If Ritchie holds the job, he steps into a rotation and team built for October baseball, with the Braves' World Series window wide open and the trade deadline still ahead.
