The Atlanta Braves offense seemed to find itself after an absolute beatdown of the Mets on Independence Day. Atlanta took down their division rivals 14-3, with five home runs leading the scoring charge.
Chris Sale pitched well after learning of his 10th career All-Star selection. Sale also reached a milestone with the Braves, as he struck out his 500th batter with the franchise. Unfortunately, he was only able to get through five innings, and Atlanta's bullpen was tasked with keeping the Mets from coming back. Dylan Lee struck out the side in the sixth inning, and JR Ritchie was able to pitch the final three innings from that point.
Ritchie had been recalled earlier in the day after Ha-Seong Kim was placed on the 10-day IL with a finger injury. The righty pitched three scoreless frames with one walk and four strikeouts. His strong outing helped save the bullpen, which is always appreciated, especially in a four-game series.
His promotion didn't last long, as he was optioned following Saturday's game. Carlos Carrasco was added to the roster as a corresponding move.
The #Braves today selected RHP Carlos Carrasco to the major league roster after optioning RHP JR Ritchie to Triple-A Gwinnett following last night's game.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 5, 2026
Braves option JR Ritchie and call up Carlos Carrasco again
Carrasco is giving Jesse Chavez a run for his money with how often he's returned to the team. Cookie has appeared in 14.2 innings, with a 3.68 ERA, one walk, and six strikeouts. We will see how long this stint lasts.
Ritchie being sent down is probably a bit of a bummer, but he likely wouldn't be available to pitch again for a little while anyhow. The Braves are skipping Bryce Elder's next start after his velocity dropped in his last outing.
There's a chance Ritchie could take his spot in the rotation should Elder need time on the IL. It wouldn't be the worst thing, given how awfully he's pitched in his last few starts. The Braves need a bit more consistency as they try to get back to their winning ways.
This won't be the last fans see of Ritchie this season, and hopefully, he continues to improve. If he can pitch the way he did last night more often, that would be a massive help.
Add us as a preferred source on Google