Ritchie (1-5) took the loss Sunday, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks over 5.2 innings against Miami. He struck out two.
Ritchie performed well through the first five innings, allowing just one run via a solo homer to Heriberto Hernandez in the fourth frame, before unraveling in a three-run sixth inning and being pulled at 87 pitches (56 strikes). Regarded as one of Atlanta's top pitching prospects entering 2026, the 23-year-old has struggled to consistently put things together at the big-league level. Ritchie will close his rookie regular season with a 4.91 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and 68:43 K:BB in 73.1 innings (17 appearances).
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Handed loss behind no run support
Rotowire
Ritchie (1-4) took the loss after allowing one run on four hits and three walks over five innings against the Reds on Tuesday. He struck out eight.
Ritchie made just one mistake, serving up a home run to Elly De La Cruz in the third inning. The right-hander struck out a season-high eight batters, breaking his previous high of seven. This year, the 23-year-old has posted a 4.79 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 66:41 K:BB over 67.2 innings. Ritchie is slated to make his final start Sunday against the Marlins.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Handed another start
Rotowire
Ritchie will start Tuesday's game against the Reds in Atlanta.
Despite getting lit up for six runs over 4.2 innings in a start against the Cubs last Wednesday, Ritchie will stick around with Atlanta for another turn through the rotation. The 23-year-old righty has struggled with his control (13.7 percent walk rate) and with keeping the ball in the yard (11 home runs allowed over 62.2 innings) across 15 appearances (nine starts) with the big club this season.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Rocked for six runs in loss
Rotowire
Ritchie (1-3) took the loss against the Cubs on Wednesday, allowing six runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out five across 4.2 innings.
Wednesday's start was Ritchie's ninth start in the majors this season and first since Aug. 2 against the Nationals. He proceeded to give up a season-high six runs, all of which came off the bats of Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman, including a solo homer apiece. Ritchie has a 5.03 ERA and 1.47 WHIP over 62.2 innings this season, and he figures to get at least one more turn in Atlanta's rotation after Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday. Ritchie is tentatively slated to make his next start next week at home against the Reds.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Summoned from Triple-A for start
Rotowire
Atlanta recalled Ritchie from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday.
He's slated to start Wednesday's game against the Cubs, and with Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder) landing on the 15-day injured list and AJ Smith-Shawver demoted to the bullpen, Ritchie is a good bet to make additional starts down the stretch. The rookie hurler had been on a roll at Gwinnett, authoring a 2.14 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 44:14 K:BB in 33.2 innings across his last six starts. Ritchie has logged a 4.50 ERA and 53:36 K:BB over 58 frames covering eight starts and six relief outings with the big club.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Could get start this week
Rotowire
Ritchie might be called up to start for Atlanta on Wednesday against the Cubs, Jesus Cano of The Athletic reports.
That would be AJ Smith-Shawver's turn through the rotation, but the team has yet to officially name him the starter, suggesting it is considering other options. Ritchie has been pitching well for Triple-A Gwinnett since being demoted in early August, and over his last six starts he's posted a 2.14 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 44:14 K:BB in 33.2 innings. During two September starts, he's produced a dazzling 24:2 K:BB in 12.2 frames.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Goes four innings in return
Rotowire
Ritchie didn't factor into the decision Sunday against the Nationals, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks over four innings. He struck out four.
Making his first major-league start since June 23, Ritchie held the Nats scoreless through three innings before allowing two runs in the fourth. Overall, Ritchie sports a 4.50 ERA across 58 innings in the majors this season with a 1.43 WHIP and 53:36 K:BB. The 23-year-old rookie figures to get another look in Atlanta's rotation with Reynaldo Lopez (knee) on the IL. Ritchie currently lines up to face the Yankees on the road in his next outing.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Sent back to Triple-A
Rotowire
Atlanta optioned Ritchie to Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday.
Ritchie will give up his spot on the active roster to left-hander Martin Perez (elbow), who was reinstated from the 15-day injured list ahead of his scheduled start Wednesday versus the Padres. After tossing 3.2 innings in long relief during Tuesday's 8-3 loss, Ritchie was unlikely to be available out of the Atlanta bullpen for at least the next couple of days.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Works in relief Saturday
Rotowire
Ritchie was credited with his second hold of the season in Saturday's 7-6 loss to the Rangers after striking out a batter and allowing one hit and no walks over a scoreless inning of relief.
Ritchie helped cover for the demoted Hurston Waldrep last Sunday, with Atlanta deploying him for 4.1 innings of bulk relief in a 4-3 win over St. Louis. Rather than opening the second half with Ritchie as the fifth starter, Atlanta instead handed Owen Murphy his first MLB start Saturday before Atlanta manager Walt Weiss leaned on Ritchie and six other relievers to finish out the contest. Atlanta optioned Murphy to Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday, but Ritchie appears likely to stick in the bullpen for the time being with Martin Perez (forearm) expected to return from the injured list during the upcoming week.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Pitching in bulk relief Sunday
Rotowire
Ritchie is slated to work in bulk relief behind opener Danny Young during Sunday's game in St. Louis, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Young is unlikely to work more than an inning or two before giving way to Ritchie, who has re-entered the Atlanta rotation following Hurston Waldrep's recent demotion to Triple-A Gwinnett. Ritchie's workload is still expected to be monitored carefully Sunday, as the young righty will be taking the hill on just two days' rest after covering 1.1 innings in a 35-pitch appearance Thursday.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Returns to big club as reliever
Rotowire
Atlanta recalled Ritchie from Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday.
One day after being optioned to Triple-A, Ritchie will rejoin Atlanta after Martin Perez exited his start in Sunday's loss to the Mets due to a forearm contusion and was moved to the 15-day injured list. Though the loss of Perez creates a need for a fifth starter, Bryce Elder is expected to slot back into the rotation during the upcoming week after having his previous turn skipped. As such, Ritchie will serve as a multi-inning option out of the Atlanta bullpen for the team's final seven games before the All-Star break, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Headed back to Triple-A
Rotowire
Atlanta optioned Ritchie to Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday.
Ritchie's stay with Atlanta lasted just one day, with the 23-year-old righty working out of the bullpen in Saturday's 14-3 win over the Mets and striking out four over three scoreless innings en route to collecting his first career save. Atlanta called up Carlos Carrasco from Triple-A in a corresponding move while Ritchie slots back into the rotation at Gwinnett.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Receiving another start
Rotowire
Ritchie is slated to start Tuesday's game against the Padres at Petco Park, Lindsay Crosby of BravesToday.com reports.
Ritchie will receive another turn through the rotation, despite a lackluster showing in his return to a starting role his last time out Wednesday, when he took a loss against the Giants after yielding five earned runs on five hits and three walks across five innings. Though the rookie right-hander has turned in underwhelming ratios (4.54 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 30:21 K:BB) over his first 35.2 innings in the big leagues, he'll have a pathway to making multiple starts while none of Spencer Strider (elbow), Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow) and AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow) are particularly close to returning from the 60-day injured list.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Entering rotation Wednesday
Rotowire
Ritchie is slated to start Wednesday's game against the Giants in Atlanta, Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
After being recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett, Ritchie joined the Atlanta bullpen and made just his second relief appearance since entering the professional ranks in 2022. He ended up piggybacking injured starter Spencer Strider (elbow) in Friday's loss to the Mets, striking out five batters and scattering two hits and two walks over five innings. With Strider landing on the injured list a day later, Ritchie will now be called upon to fill the open spot in the rotation. Strider lacks a clear timeline for a return, so Ritchie should be in line for multiple starts with the big club.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Looks good in long relief
Rotowire
Ritchie gave up two hits and two walks over five scoreless relief innings in Friday's loss to the Mets. He struck out five.
The rookie right-hander finished out the game after Spencer Strider (forearm) was pulled following a leadoff walk to MJ Melendez in the bottom of the fourth inning while showing greatly diminished velocity. Strider has already been placed on the IL and is being sent for an MRI on Saturday, and Ritchie's impressive relief performance over 73 pitches (42 strikes) makes him the logical candidate to move into the rotation. Over 30.2 innings in the majors this season, Ritchie has a 3.82 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 26:18 K:BB.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Returning to big leagues
Rotowire
Atlanta recalled Ritchie from Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday.
Ritchie had an up-and-down first stint in the majors, posting a 4.91 ERA and 21:16 K:BB over 25.2 innings in his five starts. It appears he will operate in a relief role this time around, providing the team with a bullpen arm capable of covering multiple innings.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Sent back to minors
Rotowire
Atlanta optioned Ritchie to Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday.
Ritchie was tagged for six runs over four innings in Monday's loss to the Marlins. He was terrific in his major-league debut last month but wound up posting a 4.91 ERA and 21:16 K:BB over 25.2 innings in his five starts for Atlanta. With Ritchie back in the minors, Martin Perez should settle into a rotation spot for Atlanta.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: No-decision vs. Cubs
Rotowire
Ritchie did not factor into Wednesday's decision against the Cubs, allowing one run on two hits and three walks while striking out four across 4.1 innings.
Ritchie kept the Cubs off the board through the first four innings of Wednesday's game. He allowed two baserunners in the fifth before being replaced by Tyler Kinley, with the latter giving up an RBI single to Nico Hoerner for the Cubs' only run of the game. Ritchie ran up his pitch count to 87 while tossing 53 strikes (60.9 percent strike rate), but he failed to complete five frames for the first time through four MLB starts. He sits at a 3.32 ERA and 1.43 WHIP across 21.2 innings this season. His next start is slated for next week on the road against the Marlins.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Added to roster ahead of debut
Rotowire
Atlanta selected Ritchie's contract from Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday.
Ritchie is set to make his major-league debut Thursday versus the Nationals. The 22-year-old has had a dominant run at Gwinnett to begin the 2026 campaign, collecting a 0.99 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 28:13 K:BB through 27.1 innings spanning five starts. It's likely to be just a spot start for Ritchie, as Spencer Strider (oblique) is due to rejoin the Atlanta rotation next week.
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Braves' JR Ritchie: Sharp in spring debut
Rotowire
Ritchie tossed two scoreless, no-hit innings in Atlanta's Grapefruit League game against the Twins on Sunday, walking one and striking out one.
The 22-year-old right-hander tossed 19 of 32 pitches for strikes in his spring debut. Ritchie is knocking on the door of the majors after posting a 3.02 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 61:27 K:BB through 11 starts and 59.2 innings for Triple-A Gwinnett last season, and while Atlanta doesn't want to rush him, he could be an injury or two away from getting thrust into the rotation.
