NORTH PORT, Fla. – The Braves’ rotation depth was further depleted on Monday when imaging results showed Joey Wentz has a torn right anterior cruciate ligament.
“I feel bad for the kid more than anything else,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “I told him, 'You never know what this is going to lead to. You come back and maybe you're stronger than ever from the rehab and it turns your career around. You’ve got to stay positive and in these moments.'”
Staying positive has steadily become more challenging for the Braves over the past few weeks. They opened camp with the news that projected No. 2 or No. 3 starter Spencer Schwellenbach would need to have bone spurs removed from his right elbow. A few days later, they learned that promising young right-hander Hurston Waldrep would also miss at least two months of the regular season while recovering from his own elbow cleanup procedure.
Now, the rotation depth no longer includes Wentz, who seemed primed to begin the season as a sixth starter or swingman out of the bullpen. His bid to fill this role ended Sunday morning, when he collided with the Rays’ Taylor Walls while fielding first base.
Wentz was carted off the field, but initial tests created hope that existed until the Braves got results from an MRI exam on Monday afternoon.
“I don't think anybody, even Joey, was expecting that news from the MRI,” Weiss said. “I don’t think it felt like it was torn. It's terrible for the kid.”
This latest setback creates an improved opportunity for veteran Martín Pérez, who signed a Minor League deal with the hope of proving he still has something left to offer a big league club.
The absences of Schwellenbach and Waldrep, who both underwent elbow cleanup procedures in February, heightened the need for the Braves to preserve as much starting pitching depth as possible. So, with Wentz and fellow fifth-starter-candidate Bryce Elder both out of Minor League options, the assumption has been that, health-willing, both would have been on Atlanta’s Opening Day roster.
The Braves' season-opening rotation will likely consist of Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Reynaldo López, Grant Holmes and Elder. Pérez is now the top internal candidate to begin the season as Atlanta’s sixth starter or swingman. The Braves play a game on 13 straight days to open the season. So, there’s a good chance they’ll use a sixth starter during that stretch.
“I love the fact that Martín's in our camp, the guy can still really pitch,” Weiss said.
Pérez has allowed just one run, which came courtesy of a homer by Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman, and three hits over five innings (two appearances) thus far. The 34-year-old southpaw has struggled to find consistent success since earning an All-Star selection with the Rangers in 2022. He posted a 3.54 ERA in 11 appearances (10 starts) for the White Sox last year. He missed a significant part of the season with a left flexor strain and then was shut down in September with left shoulder discomfort.
“I still feel good about our team,” Weiss said. “We've lost some good players already, but I still feel really good about our club. I feel good about the guys in the room and the options that we have. So yeah, the law of averages says [the injuries] will stop at some point.”
Losing three starters within the first full month of camp has forced the Braves to look at the possibility of needing JR Ritchie (Atlanta's No. 2 prospect, No. 90 overall) in the Majors earlier than desired. The 22-year-old right-hander has had just one full unrestricted Minor League season, but he has impressed veterans like Sale with his mature approach.
So, the Braves will at least keep an open mind regarding Ritchie, who will start Tuesday against the Blue Jays. He has notched six strikeouts while allowing just one run over four innings through his first two Grapefruit League appearances.