Atlanta Braves rookie Hurston Waldrep has been impressive since being recalled for a spot start at the beginning of August. His first taste of the big leagues in 2024 didn’t go so well, as he allowed 13 earned runs over seven innings (two starts). This forced him and the Braves to find adjustments that would help him succeed. That help came from a suggestion from Atlanta catcher Sean Murphy during a rehab assignment. Adding a sinker to his arsenal and adjusting his mechanics have paid dividends so far.
Waldrep has been one of the best pitchers in baseball during his four appearances (three starts). Overall, he has a 0.73 ERA over 24.2 innings with six walks, 24 strikeouts, a 1.90 FIP, and a 0.77 WHIP. Those are absolutely absurd numbers for the young right-hander.
While teams have had success against his sinker, the usage of that pitch has allowed his cutter and splitter to flourish. Opponents are batting just .227 and .061 against those pitches, respectively. This success has him on a pace not seen since the 80s.
Hurston Waldrep of the @Braves is the second MLB rookie in the modern era to earn the win in each of his first 4 appearances of a season while allowing 1 run or fewer in each.
The other was Fernando Valenzuela in 1981. pic.twitter.com/sqb8bfzTIf
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) August 21, 2025
Braves starter Hurston Waldrep is on a torrent pace not seen since Fernando Valenzuela’s rookie season
The recent success by Waldrep is impressive, and has him in elite company. He’s just the second MLB rookie to earn a win in each of his first four appearances in a season while allowing one run or less in each.
This feat was last accomplished by Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela. Valenzuela, who was known for his unique wind-up, had one of the best rookie seasons by a pitcher in MLB history. In 1981, he tossed 192.1 innings (25 starts) with a 2.48 ERA, 61 walks, and 180 strikeouts. During this season, he also had 11 complete games, with eight of them being shutouts.
His first four games were all complete games, and Valenzuela had a ridiculous 0.20 ERA through 36 innings. But he didn’t stop there; the lefty had eight consecutive complete games to start his rookie season. That was good for a 0.50 ERA through 72 innings with 17 walks and 68 strikeouts.
It’s mind-blowing to see numbers like that. Complete games are almost as rare as no-hitters these days. Valenzuela went on to have a successful career that spanned 17 seasons (11 with the Dodgers), and it’s really cool to see Waldrep mentioned in the same breath.
Hopefully, the Braves right-hander can find a way to stick around for that long. For now, we will appreciate and celebrate his early success.
