Atlanta Braves Have MLB’s Best Record And Rising Rookie JR Ritchie

BusinessSportsMoneyAtlanta Braves Have MLB’s Best Record And Rising Rookie JR RitchieByChuck Murr,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Chuck analyzes and writes about baseball, soccer & other sports.Follow AuthorApr 27, 2026, 02:29pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.WASHINGTON, DC: JR Ritchie of the Atlanta Braves celebrates getting the final out of the seventh inning of his MLB debut against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on April 23, 2026. Ritchie won, 7-2. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe Atlanta Braves have Major League Baseball’s best record (20-9) and a top-flight rookie pitcher in JR Ritchie ready to keep it going.Ritchie, 22, appears to be another addition to Atlanta’s long line of premier pitchers. The right-hander, ranked as the Braves’ top prospect by MLB.com, won his debut last week and manager Walt Weiss says he is now in the rotation.“We wanted him to be an option in the picture moving forward," Weiss told Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It’s a pretty picture at present. The Braves’ 3.13 team earned run average leads MLB. Ritchie contributed by allowing two runs across seven innings (2.57 ERA) in his MLB debut against the Washington Nationals.It didn’t start well. James Wood hit his very first pitch for a home run.WASHINGTON, DC: James Wood of the Washington Nationals rounds the bases after hitting a home run on the first pitch thrown by Atlanta Braves rookie JR Ritchie at Nationals Park on April 23, 2026. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)Getty Images“One pitch into it, I was kind of like, ‘Oh no,’” Ritchie told reporters. “But after that, I bounced back really well. I stayed with my gameplan. I was really happy about that. Yeah, this will always be a very, very special day for me.”MORE FOR YOUWeiss was impressed.“Kid’s got a lot of weapons man, for right and left h...