Braves Struggle Despite Season Expectations
This season, the Braves are finding it hard to stay optimistic.
Following injuries to their pitching staff, the team has called up 20-year-old Didier Fuentes, who started three times in High A and five times in Triple A this year.
“Didier Fuentes is a bit of a gamble—purely based on his potential. But, I think it’s fair to say he isn’t ready to pitch in the majors,” stated Braves reporter Grant McCauley. “Sure, the Braves have lost four starters, but they might need to try a different approach.”
Fuentes, at just 20, is the youngest MLB pitcher to start a game since 2019.
In his four major league starts, Fuentes has posted a staggering 13.85 ERA over just 13 innings of play. He walked six batters, allowed 23 hits—six of them home runs—and struck out twelve.
Things reached a low point for him on Tuesday when he surrendered eight runs, including three home runs.
Despite the struggles, the Braves may still lean on Fuentes as he navigates this tough period, though many fans disagree with this strategy.
“I really feel for Didier Fuentes,” one Braves fan remarked on social media. “He has so much potential, but he just isn’t ready for the big leagues. Every inning he pitches seems to do more harm than good. Just showing courage isn’t really helping him right now.”
Fuentes made his MLB debut on June 20.
During his time in the minors, Fuentes had a 3.70 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP from 2022 to 2025. However, in 2025, his ERA climbed to 5.54, with Double-A at 4.81 and Triple A at 1.93, earning him a call to the majors.
With Chris Sale, Reinaldo Lopez, and Spencer Schwenbach all sidelined, it’s tough for Atlanta, and some believe promoting Fuentes might be causing more harm than good.
Another social media user expressed frustration, asking, “What are the Braves thinking with Didier? This move is just silly. The front office seems to be out of touch.”
Currently, the Braves stand at 39-51 and are facing a challenging season, trailing 10.5 games behind the final wildcard spot in the National League.
