One of the more pleasant developments this season for the Atlanta Braves despite all of the heartbreak has been the emergence of JR Ritchie in the minor leagues. After needing to undergo Tommy John surgery in 2023, there was a good bit of uncertainty as to how he would bounce back. Thankfully, Ritchie quickly quieted those doubts and put himself on the verge of the big leagues.
After a 2025 season where he rose all the way to Triple-A and posted a 2.61 ERA in 25 starts with 136 in 134.2 innings of work, Braves fans started to get excited for his arrival in the majors.