The Atlanta Braves will see Kyle Wright make his season debut vs. the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.
Kyle Wright’s return to the Atlanta Braves‘ starting rotation could not have come at a better time.
Although the Braves are 7-4 on the young season, they have been bitten bad by the injury bug in recent weeks. While the plan all along was for Wright to spend a few weeks in the minors to rehab his injury, Atlanta did not count on ace Max Fried pulling his hamstring covering the first base bag on Opening Day. It has been a lot of Jared Shuster and Dylan Dodd over the last few Braves series.
Atlanta made it official by recalling Wright on Tuesday morning. The Braves are sending the southpaw Dodd back down to Triple-A after he got absolutely rocked vs. the San Diego Padres on Sunday Night Baseball.
The #Braves today returned RHP Kyle Wright from his rehabilitation assignment and reinstated him from the injured list. LHP Dylan Dodd was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett following last night’s game.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 11, 2023
Given that Wright is coming off a season in which he won a major-league best 21 games, it should be no surprise that Braves Country is expecting big things out of Wright once again this year.
Kyle Wright to make Atlanta Braves season debut Tuesday vs. Cincinnati Reds
Last season was fantastic for Wright who finally put it all together. He was a top pick coming out of Vanderbilt, but never really had consistent success at the big-league level until last year. In theory, he has the arm talent to be the Braves’ future ace if general manager Alex Anthopoulos decides he doesn’t want to extend Fried long-term. Of course, investing money in pitchers is risky.
The good news for Wright is he will be toeing the rubber the day after the Braves walked off on Cincinnati to end a three-game skid. Cincinnati is still rebuilding and the Braves have some momentum heading into Game 2 of the series. Unfortunately, hours after Wright was recalled, another Braves pitcher’s season ends. Right-hander Ian Anderson will need Tommy John surgery.
Atlanta Braves right-hander Ian Anderson will undergo Tommy John surgery, sources tell me and @kileymcd. After a difficult 2022 season, Anderson started the year at AAA and struggled in his first start before being diagnosed with a torn UCL. He's expected to return in 2024.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 11, 2023
Fortunately, the Braves do have depth in the rotation. Dodd may have struggled in his second Braves start, but Bryce Elder has been a revelation over the last two seasons. And what could be in store for Atlanta is a much-anticipated Michael Soroka return. He has pitched well at Triple-A Gwinnett. Soroka has not pitched for Atlanta at the big-league since tearing his Achilles in 2020.
Michael Soroka's comeback is showing some encouraging signs.
— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) April 10, 2023
He was up over 60 pitches in his first outing for Gwinnett. If he builds that to 85 or so in his next few starts, #Braves could welcome him back in the coming weeks. https://t.co/AobIhIPRGt
Ultimately, as long as Wright pitches well, Spencer Strider progresses in year two, Charlie Morton doesn’t fall off a cliff physically and Fried’s hamstring issue doesn’t ruin his season, the Braves should be in good shape from a starting rotation standpoint. They need to get Collin McHugh and Raisel Iglesias back in the bullpen to be at full strength, but that Atlanta offense can cook, dawg.
Look for Wright to provide a spark off the rubber every fifth day for the Braves in their rotation.