It goes without saying that the 2025 season is one that Atlanta Braves fans would like to forget.
The Braves began the year with what felt like realistic World Series expectations, but they’d be lucky to even finish in third place in the NL East at this rate.
As poorly as things have gone for Atlanta, though, the second-half emergence of Hurston Waldrep, one of the organization’s top prospects, gives this reeling fan base something to look forward to. Waldrep just turned in another gem on Wednesday, putting him in uncharted Chris Sale territory with how he’s pitched.
Waldrep technically only has three starts this season, but since he entered a previously suspended game in the first inning, it’s as if he has four starts.
In those appearances, he’s posted a 0.73 ERA in 24.1 innings pitched. It’s the third-best four-start stretch of any starter this season when going by ERA, trailing only Jacob Lopez of the Athletics and Waldrep’s teammate, Chris Sale.
Wadrep has just three starts because he entered during the first inning of the Speedway Classic. He has a 0.73 ERA over 24.1 IP. Only MLB pitchers with a better ERA over any 4-start span this year:
A’s Jacob Lopez 0.00 July 26-Aug. 12
Braves Chris Sale 0.65 May 29-June 18
Anytime a pitcher is in the same conversation as Sale, he’s done something right. Waldrep has been phenomenal and was that again on Wednesday.
Hurston Waldrep has been one of the few Braves bright spots
Waldrep threw seven shutout innings against the Chicago White Sox, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out seven.
He needed just 87 pitches to get through seven and if the Braves were in contention, perhaps they would’ve brought him back out for the eighth.
He was that good. Sure, it’s only the White Sox, but Waldrep has been doing this ever since his early-August recall.
As mentioned above, Waldrep has a 0.73 ERA in four appearances. He’s allowed a total of two runs on 13 hits with six walks in 24.1 innings of work, and he’s fanned 24 batters as well.
Waldrep didn’t factor into the equation for the first four months of the season, and he looked overmatched in his two-start stint with the Braves last season, but now, he looks an awful lot like the budding star the Braves expected him to be when they selected him in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft.
The Braves almost certainly didn’t have him as a major piece in their 2026 rotation plans, but given how things are going right now, they have to at least consider including him, right?
Hurston Waldrep is forcing his way into the Braves 2026 starting rotation
A four-start sample size isn’t massive, but it’s starting to get to the point where Waldrep’s breakout feels real. If the Braves think it is, and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t right now, he has to factor into their rotation plans somehow.
The only question is where would he fit in?
Each member of Atlanta’s projected 2026 rotation except for Spencer Strider is currently on the IL. Four of the five starting pitchers on the Braves IL are expected to be healthy by Opening Day next season with AJ Smith-Shawver as the lone exception.
The Braves would like to fit Waldrep in if he finishes strongly, but who goes out?
The easy answer would be one of Grant Holmes or Reynaldo Lopez, two pitchers who have performed extremely well as starters but also have experience in the bullpen.
Waldrep has to finish strongly for this to be a discussion, but again, all signs point to him doing so.
If he does, the Braves will have an abundance of riches at arguably the most important position in the sport – a good position to be in.
