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JR Ritchie makes Braves history in stellar debut
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher JR Ritchie. Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

JR Ritchie makes Braves history in stellar debut

By Nate Miller  |  Last updated Apr 23, 2026 5:54 PM ET
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The Atlanta Braves front office took a bit of heat coming into the season after not adding much of note to a pitching rotation that was ravaged by injuries last year. There were plenty of remaining questions when this season began. 

The Braves brass felt it had at least one answer already in JR Ritchie. If Thursday’s performance was any indication, they were right.  

Currently coming in as the 79th-ranked prospect in the league, per MLB.com, Ritchie is largely viewed as the Braves' No. 2 farmhand. The righty was selected in the first round of the 2022 draft, and after battling through Tommy John surgery in 2023, he has made a rapid ascent up the minor-league ranks. 

Ritchie posted a sensational 0.99 ERA over his first five starts at Triple-A Gwinnett this season, leading to his call-up ahead of Thursday’s debut. He figures to hang around with the Braves a while longer now, after becoming the first pitcher in franchise history to allow two runs or fewer alongside seven-plus strikeouts over at least 7.0 innings in their debut. 

JR Ritchie looked poised beyond his years

Thursday afternoon, Ritchie looked like a seasoned veteran on the mound, not a guy pitching on an MLB mound for the first time. He surrendered a lead-off home run to Nationals slugger James Wood on his very first big-league pitch. 

Ritchie then proceeded to give up one more run — also on a solo shot — over the next seven frames.

That first-inning deep drive would have led most young hurlers to second-guess themselves. Not Ritchie. He displayed the moxie of a front-end starter who belongs at this level. Ritchie’s efficiency with his six-pitch mix was incredibly impressive as well. He needed just 89 pitches to get 21 outs. Over 60% of them went for strikes, and he issued just two walks on the day.

Talking to reporters after the game, Ritchie summed it up as a “very, very special day for me.” There should be many more of those to come. 

Nate Miller
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Throughout more than a decade covering various sports, particularly MLB & NFL, as a writer, editor, and podcast producer/host, Nate Miller has contributed for many of the top outlets in the biz such as FantasyPros, Athlon Sports, Fantasy Alarm, Sporting News, and others. He's been heard as a feature guest on various radio stations and podcasts, including Sirius XM Fantasy, FNTSY Network, and FM 92. 9 The Game in Atlanta

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