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Atlanta optioned Fuentes to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday.
Fuentes wasn't going to be available to pitch for a few days after allowing one earned run over four relief innings in Sunday's loss to the Royals. He will enter the Gwinnett rotation so he can stay stretched out and could get an opportunity to start some games with Atlanta sooner rather than later. Martin Perez is taking Fuentes' spot on the active roster and could start Tuesday at home against the Athletics.
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Braves' Didier Fuentes: Excels in long relief
Rotowire
Fuentes struck out four and allowed one earned run on two hits and one walk across four innings of relief in Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Royals.
Following an outstanding spring training in which he turned in a 0.66 ERA, 0.22 WHIP and 18:1 K:BB across 13.2 innings, Fuentes was able to clinch a spot on the Opening Day roster. Though Atlanta has an opening in its rotation while Spencer Strider (oblique) is on the mend, Fuentes looks like he'll have to settle for a multi-inning relief role early on. In his season debut Sunday, the young right-hander ended up piggybacking starter Grant Holmes. With only four swinging strikes on 56 pitches, Fuentes didn't look as dominant as he had been in the Grapefruit League, but he pounded the zone and was able to limit hard contact. Jose Suarez or Martin Perez would appear to be the leading candidates to get the ball when a fifth starter is first needed Tuesday against the Athletics, but Fuentes has done his part to earn a look in the rotation later this season.
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Braves' Didier Fuentes: Remains in line for relief role
Rotowire
Manager Walt Weiss indicated that he still plans to deploy Fuentes out of the bullpen to begin the season, even after Atlanta announced Monday that Spencer Strider (oblique) will open the 2026 campaign on the injured list, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Strider had been scheduled to make his final spring start Monday against the Pirates, but that assignment will instead fall to Fuentes after Strider was scratched due to an oblique strain. Though Fuentes' pitching schedule aligns with Strider's, Atlanta doesn't intend to deviate from its early-season plan with the 20-year-old righty, who is expected to work as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen for the first couple weeks of the season before moving to Triple-A Gwinnett to resume starting. Jose Suarez and Martin Perez are the leading candidates to replace Strider in the rotation when his first turn comes up March 31 versus the Athletics, but Fuentes may not have to wait long for a starting opportunity with the big club if he continues to dazzle in relief for the big club and in the rotation at Gwinnett. Fuentes was one of the stars of spring training for Atlanta, tossing nine scoreless, no-hit frames while posting a 17:0 K:BB over his three Grapefruit League outings.
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Braves' Didier Fuentes: Beginning in long relief
Rotowire
Atlanta plans to utilize Fuentes as a long reliever for the first couple weeks of the season before sending him to work as a starter at Triple-A Gwinnett, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
It was reported Saturday that Fuentes would be included on Atlanta's Opening Day roster, and it's not a surprise he'll work in long relief after covering at least three frames in each of his three Grapefruit League appearances. The 20-year-old righty was dominant this spring, finishing with a 17:0 K:BB across nine scoreless and hitless innings. Fuentes may not open the campaign in Atlanta's rotation, but he could still get that opportunity at some point in 2026, especially if Bryce Elder stumbles out of the gate.
Fuentes will make Atlanta's Opening Day roster as a part of the team's bullpen, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Fuentes earned his spot on the team's Opening Day roster after a strong spring training, striking out 17 batters over nine scoreless, hitless innings in three Grapefruit League games. The 20-year-old right-hander will serve out of the bullpen to open the season, though he could slot into the rotation quickly. Atlanta plays 13 games in 13 days to begin its campaign and may want to build in an extra rest day early on for its other five starters.
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Braves' Didier Fuentes: Dominates again Wednesday
Rotowire
Fuentes struck out eight over four perfect innings of relief in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.
The 20-year-old right-hander fired 34 of 50 pitches for strikes after taking the mound to begin the sixth inning, although he was facing a lineup of Philly bench players and minor leaguers. Fuentes has been arguably the most impressive pitcher in camp this year for Atlanta, posting an eye-popping 17:0 K:BB over nine scoreless, hitless innings across three spring appearances, and the only baserunner he allowed during that dominant stretch came on a hit-by-pitch. Fuentes is still expected to begin the season at Triple-A Gwinnett, but he's making a strong case to win an Opening Day spot on a team that's lost three starting options to injury this spring, and which is expected to deploy a six-man rotation over the first couple weeks of the campaign.
Braves' Didier Fuentes: Baffles Yankees with slider
Rotowire
Fuentes struck out five over three perfect innings during Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.
Per Mark Bowman of MLB.com, the 20-year-old right-hander maintained the elevated velocity he's been showing in camp, averaging 97.1 mph with his four-seamer and topping out at 98.7 mph, but it was his slider that gave Yankee hitters like Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham the most trouble. Fuentes has sharpened the pitch since last year, when Statcast classified it as a sweeper due to its slower speed, and he generated whiffs on four of the six sliders he threw Friday while averaging 87.0 mph with it. Atlanta pitching coach Jeremy Hefner also likes the progress Fuentes has made with his changeup. Fuentes is expected to begin the year at Triple-A Gwinnett, but he could be just one more injury away from joining the big-league rotation. Through five spring innings in two appearances, he hasn't allowed a run or hit with a 9:0 K:BB.
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Braves' Didier Fuentes: Dominant in relief outing
Rotowire
Fuentes struck out four over two scoreless innings in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles.
A hit-by-pitch produced the only baserunner against Fuentes, who fired 15 of 25 pitches for strikes in a dominant performance. Per Mark Bowman of MLB.com, Fuentes' velocity was up noticeably in the outing, with his four-seamer topping out at 98.8 miles per hour and averaging 97.4 mph. However, it bears mentioning that the 20-year-old right-hander didn't enter the game until the sixth inning, and the most notable batter he faced might have been non-roster invitee Sam Huff. Fuentes is expected to begin the season at Triple-A Gwinnett, but after making his big-league debut under emergency circumstances in 2025, he might be just one or two more injuries away from getting the call again given the hits Atlanta has already taken to its rotation depth.
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Braves' Didier Fuentes: Scheduled to pitch Saturday
Rotowire
Fuentes (shoulder) is scheduled to pitch in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles, Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Fuentes ended the 2025 season on the 7-day injured list due to right shoulder inflammation. He appeared in 13 games across three levels in the minors last year and finished with a 1-7 record with a 3.73 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 71:16 K:BB across 57 innings. Assuming he doesn't suffer any setbacks, Fuentes will likely open the 2026 season in Triple-A, but he should get some turns in Atlanta's rotation after starting four games for the parent club in 2025.
Triple-A Gwinnett placed Fuentes on its 7-day injured list Aug. 10 due to an unspecified injury.
Fuentes hadn't pitched for Gwinnett since Aug. 2 before the Triple-A club deactivated him a week later. Following a rough four-start run with Atlanta before being optioned July 9, Fuentes had returned to form in the minors prior to being shut down, logging a 4.08 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 23:4 K:BB in 17.2 innings over four appearances for Gwinnett.
Atlanta optioned Fuentes to Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday.
Despite Atlanta having two long-term openings in its rotation with all of Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow), Chris Sale (ribs) and Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list, Fuentes hasn't pitched well enough to justify sticking around with the big club. After getting tagged for eight earned runs and lasting just one inning in his most recent outing in Tuesday's 10-1 loss to the Athletics, the 20-year-old right hander has submitted a 13.85 ERA, 2.23 WHIP and 12:6 K:BB across 13 frames through his first four big-league outings. Nathan Wiles was recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding move and will likely fill one of the open spots in the rotation this weekend in St. Louis.
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Braves' Didier Fuentes: Awful in loss
Rotowire
Fuentes (0-3) allowed eight runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two over one-plus inning to take the loss versus the Athletics on Tuesday.
Fuentes had his worst outing yet, allowing three home runs in the first inning as the Athletics stormed ahead 5-0. He loaded the bases in the second and was pulled from the game at 40 pitches (24 strikes), only for Jesse Chavez to allow all three inherited runners to score on a Nick Kurtz grand slam. Fuentes has allowed 20 runs over 13 innings in his four major-league starts, adding a 12:6 K:BB. He's struggled, but Atlanta's rotation has been pummeled by injuries. With the team far adrift of a wild-card spot, Atlanta may be more tolerant to let Fuentes learn on the job for the remainder of the season, or at least until Chris Sale (ribs), Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder) and Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow) are healthy.
Braves' Didier Fuentes: Runs up pitch count in no-decision
Rotowire
Fuentes did not factor into Wednesday's decision against the Angels, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out six across 3.2 innings.
Fuentes put Atlanta behind early, as he yielded a two-run single to Jo Adell in the first. Fuentes kept the Halos off the board for the rest of his outing, and he managed to generate 10 whiffs and log a season-high six punchouts while pushing his pitch count up to 92 pitches (52 strikes). Fuentes has not made it through four innings in each of his last two outings and has given up 12 runs over his first 12 big-league innings. He's adjusting to major-league hitting, but his call-up from Triple-A Gwinnett was out of necessity with four Atlanta starters on the injured list, most recently Chris Sale (ribs) and Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow). Fuentes is lined up to make his next start on the road against the Athletics next week.
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