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WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 23: JR Ritchie #56 of the Atlanta Braves pitches to José Tena #8 (not pictured) of the Washington Nationals during the first inning of his major league debut at Nationals Park on April 23, 2026 in Washington, DC. Ritchie struck out Tena for his first career strike out. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

The Atlanta Braves endured their first tough loss of the season on Monday when the Miami Marlins romped them in a 12-0 victory.

JR Ritchie received the start in that Marlins game, and he surrendered six earned runs in four innings. On Tuesday, the Braves announced some notable JR Ritchie news.

GettyWASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 23: JR Ritchie #56 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates after the final out of the seventh inning of his major league debut against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on April 23, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

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Braves Option JR Ritchie As Part of Several Roster Moves

The Atlanta Braves announced several roster moves on Tuesday, and one included optioning JR Ritchie to Triple-A Gwinnett:

“The #Braves today selected C Chadwick Tromp to the major league roster and placed C Drake Baldwin on the 10-day injured list with a strained right oblique muscle. Atlanta also returned LHP Dylan Dodd from his rehabilitation assignment and reinstated him from the injured list after optioning RHP JR Ritchie to Triple-A Gwinnett following last nights game, and recalled RHP Víctor Mederos while releasing LHP Aaron Bummer from the roster.”

It’s a lot to digest, but the main news here is that Drake Baldwin lands on the Injured List, Aaron Bummer has been released, and JR Ritchie is being sent down to the minors. It’s unclear for how long Ritchie will spend in Gwinnett, but all things considered (and aside from Monday’s start), he’s looked the part in Atlanta’s rotation.

GettyWASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 23: JR Ritchie #56 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the third inning of his major league debut against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on April 23, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

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JR Ritchie’s Time with Braves

The rough start on Monday inflated JR Ritchie’s numbers a bit, but it’s important to remember that he’s still just 22-years-old, and has made just five starts in MLB.

Over those five starts, Ritchie has an ERA of 4.91 in 25.2 innings with 21 strikeouts and 16 walks. The 5.6 BB/9 is a bit concerning, and his WHIP is 1.40+, but again, he’s still finding his footing at the big league level, and this demotion will allow Ritchie to correct some things.

As for the other Braves roster moves, Drake Baldwin going to the IL is a bit shocking, but Aaron Bummer being released isn’t.

Bummer gave up a Grand Slam and a solo home run in the Braves-Marlins game on Monday, and that was likely the straw that broke the Camel’s back, as they say. Bummer carries a 7.00+ ERA over 15 innings this season, and gives up far too many home runs for the Braves to trust him in any leverage situation.

It’s an unfortunate ‘bite the bullet’ move for the Braves, as Aaron Bummer is owed nearly $10 million this season.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Aaron Bummer #49 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch against the San Diego Padres during the seventh inning on Opening Day at Petco Park on March 27, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

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