The Atlanta Braves have started the season about as well as they could have hoped. Beginning the season with 13-straight games isn't for the faint of heart. It tested their pitching depth almost immediately. However, Atlanta's pitchers have risen to the occasion. They are currently first in ERA (2.41), earned runs (38), runs (44), hits (99), and WHIP (1.01).
No one could have expected them to pitch this well without Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach in the mix. Luckily, they have been everything fans could have hoped for. Chris Sale tossed a great game against the Guardians on Sunday. He struggled to hit his spots early on, but he battled through and completed six innings. He allowed just one run on eight hits with one walk and six strikeouts.
After that, Dylan Dodd entered the game and saved the bullpen in a big way. He completed three innings of one-hit ball, with no walks and two strikeouts. However, that long appearance meant Atlanta needed a fresh arm for the Marlins series.
This led the Braves to bring up their 18th-best prospect, Rolddy Muñoz. Muñoz gives them a nice, fresh arm for their next series. He is a flamethrower, with a fastball that touches 100 mph but averages around 98.
The #Braves today recalled RHP Rolddy Muñoz to Atlanta after optioning LHP Dylan Dodd to Triple-A Gwinnett following last night’s game.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 13, 2026
Braves News: Atlanta calls up Rolddy Muñoz, send Dylan Dodd back down to the minors
Muñoz isn't known for missing a ton of bats with his fastball, and his control is suspect at times. But he does get a good amount of ground ball outs with it. Muñoz's best pitch is his slider, as it helps him miss a lot of bats.
Muñoz's done well so far this season at Triple-A Gwinnett, with no runs allowed over 7.2 innings. The right-hander has three walks and seven strikeouts over that time as well. Those are great signs for him, and could mean he's on the way to becoming a mainstay in the bullpen.
However, Muñoz is most likely just here for a brief stint until Didier Fuentes is called up to start this weekend. Atlanta recently DFA's Martin Perez, so they have to fill that missing spot in the rotation. There's a chance JR Ritchie gets an opportunity, but Fuentes feels like a safer bet since he has some experience in the big leagues.
