Braves starting pitcher Kyle Wright will undergo shoulder surgery and is expected to miss all of this season’s playoff games, as well as all of the 2024 season, manager Brian Snitker told reporters on Saturday. He told the group.Via Mark Bowman).
The past two seasons have been stark contrasts for the 28-year-old Wright. He led the majors in wins in 2022, going 21-5 with a 3.19 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 174 strikeouts in 180 1/3 innings. He battled injuries for most of this season, appearing in only nine games, seven as a starter and two as a reliever, going 1-3 with a 6.97 ERA and 1.84 WHIP.
The Braves had to do a lot of scrambling in the rotation due to Wright’s injury and other issues, but they still emerged with the best record in baseball history at 104-58.
Wright was certainly expected by the front office to be a part of the rotation next season, but now they’ll have to figure out what to do without him in the offseason.
Max Fried and Spencer Strider return as co-aces. Charlie Morton has a $20 million club option. That way, unless the Braves want to add someone outside of the organization, Bryce Elder, AJ Smith Shawver, Dylan Dodd, Michael Soroka, Yonny Chirinos, Jared Shuster, Ian -You can count on someone from Anderson’s group as the fifth starter.
For now, Fried and Strider are at the top of the playoff rotation, with Elder ready for Game 3 of the NLDS. If they advance, expect Morton (finger inflammation) to be ready to return to the rotation for the NLCS.
As for Wright, he will hit arbitration for the first time next season, but he won’t be eligible for free agency until after the 2026 season.
