The Atlanta Braves have gotten off to a hot start to the 2026 MLB season, currently sitting at 16-8 despite a recent road loss at the hands of the Washington Nationals. The Braves have done this despite missing multiple starters on their pitching staff, including both Spencer Schwellenbach and Spencer Strider, both of whom are out of the lineup due to injury.

On Wednesday, the Braves announced a couple of key roster moves as they prepare for another game against the Nationals.

“The #Braves today recalled RHP Didier Fuentes to Atlanta and designated RHP Ian Hamilton for assignment. Fuentes will start tonight’s game,” reported the Braves on their official team account on X, formerly Twitter.

Fuentes is an intriguing young prospect for the Braves, having made his MLB debut with the team last summer before being shut down for the season due to shoulder inflammation. While he struggled for the most part in his starts a year ago, Fuentes is still just 20 years old and is clearly a part of the long term plans in Atlanta.

Braves writer Mark Bowman of MLB.com also broke down how the Braves are handling their pitching rotation for the next few games.

“Today’s originally scheduled starter Martin Perez will now start tomorrow instead of Chris Sale. There’s a chance Sale would start Friday. But the Braves haven’t finalized their rotation plans for the Phillies series,” he reported on X.

Coming into this season, the Braves’ pitching staff was thought to be a major weak point due to the team’s injuries and lack of free agent signings, but thus far, the staff has performed well above expectations, and Fuentes will hope to add to that success on Wednesday, when the Braves and Nationals take the field at 6:45 pm ET.

The Atlanta Braves have gotten off to a hot start to the 2026 MLB season, currently sitting at 16-8 despite a recent road loss at the hands of the Washington Nationals. The Braves have done this despite missing multiple starters on their pitching staff, including both Spencer Schwellenbach and Spencer Strider, both of whom are out of the lineup due to injury.