Braves: Kyle Wright’s rehab start does not go according to plan

The Atlanta Braves would welcome having Kyle Wright back in their starting rotation, but his rehab start in Gwinnett did not go according to plan.

The one weak spot in the Braves otherwise impressive start to the season is their rotation, and it’s not of their own doing. Atlanta is down both Kyle Wright and ace Max Fried, who was placed on the injured list just a few days ago.

Once those two workhorses come back to the rotation, the Braves could very well have one of the strongest groups in the big leagues. Wright won 20 games last season, while Fried is routinely an NL Cy Young candidate.

Of course, that doesn’t mean Atlanta general manager Alex Anthopoulos should rush Wright back. His start in Gwinnett on Wednesday night offered a few bumps and bruises.

Braves: Kyle Wright struggles in Triple-A start

It should be noted that this likely wasn’t Wright’s final rehab start, especially after his struggles. Wright pitched six innings — which is encouraging for the Braves — but allowed seven hits and five earned runs against minor-league hitters. Were this the St. Louis Cardinals, for example, Wright wouldn’t have made it out of the first few innings.

Wright had a sore shoulder in spring training, which delayed his start time after he received a cortisone injection. By placing Wright on the injured list to start the regular season, Atlanta offered a major-league spot to both Dylan Dodd and Jared Shuster. Dodd’s first MLB start went well, while Shuster’s did not. He’ll need more time in the minors, but expect to see Shuster several times for spot starts this season.

As for Wright, he’ll look to pick up right where he left off in 2022. The 21-game winner is one of the best pitchers in the National League when healthy. Assuming his next rehab start goes well, expect the Braves to pull the trigger on a call-up.