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Jim Jarvis Jim Jarvis Settling in at shortstop
Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 5:19 PM
Jarvis will start at shortstop and bat eighth in Monday's game against the Padres.
Analysis: Jarvis will cover shortstop for the fifth game in a row, with three of those starts coming against righties and two coming versus lefties. Since being called up from Triple-A Gwinnett on July 2, Jarvis has posted a strong .297/.333/.459 slash line with one home run, four RBI and five runs in 11 games and has provided solid defense in the middle infield. So long as he keeps hitting, Jarvis should be able to hold down a near-everyday role at shortstop while Mauricio Dubon is needed in the outfield as long as at least one of Ronald Acuna (hamstring) and Mike Yastrzemski (elbow) remain on the shelf. |
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Dominic Smith Dominic Smith Retreating to bench versus lefty
Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 5:16 PM
Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres.
Analysis: The left-handed-hitting Smith will hit the bench for the second time in four games since the All-Star break while Atlanta goes up against lefty JP Sears in the series opener. With Smith taking a seat, Drake Baldwin will get a day off from catching but will stay in the lineup at designated hitter. |
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Brewer Hicklen Brewer Hicklen Sitting Monday
Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 5:15 PM
Hicklen is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Padres.
Analysis: Since being promoted from Triple-A Gwinnett on July 11, Hicklen has started in Atlanta's last three matchups versus right-handed pitching, but he's sat the last two times the club has matched up against lefties. Eli White will get the nod in right field Monday, but both he and Hicklen will see their playing time tail off when Ronald Acuna (hamstring) potentially returns from the injured list later this week. |
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Hurston Waldrep Hurston Waldrep Exits Triple-A start with arm issue
Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 4:04 PM
Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said Monday that Waldrep was removed from his start at Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday after just 36 pitches because "his arm didn't feel right," Harrison Smajovits of SI.com reports.
Analysis: Waldrep managed to throw three scoreless innings in the outing, but he averaged just 92.8 mph with his sinker, down from his 94.2 average. He will be evaluated before next steps are taken. Waldrep had surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow back in February, which caused him to miss the first two months of the season. |
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Austin Riley Austin Riley Moved up to cleanup spot
Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 2:24 PM
Riley will start at third base and bat cleanup in Monday's game versus the Padres.
Analysis: Riley is coming off a big weekend series against the Rangers, having gone 6-for-12 with three home runs. As a result, he is up in the cleanup spot for Atlanta for the first time since May 18. Riley had batted seventh in each of his last four and 13 of his last 16 starts. |
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Done for season
Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 1:58 PM
Atlanta's Florida Complex League affiliate placed De La Cruz on the 60-day injured list July 13 with an undisclosed injury.
Analysis: Gaurav Vedak of Baseball Prospectus reported that De La Cruz suffered a "significant" injury in his last Dominican Summer League game June 23, which is why he was assigned to the FCL, where he is getting treatment and rehabbing. De La Cruz was Atlanta's most impressive DSL prospect prior to his injury, as he slashed .360/.500/.560 with two home runs, nine steals and a 14:14 K:BB in 64 plate appearances. The lefty-hitting outfielder is a plus runner and still managed solid power numbers despite a 51.4 percent groundball rate. Given the timing of the injury, De La Cruz won't play in official minor-league games again until 2027. |
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Didier Fuentes Didier Fuentes Notches 10th hold
Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 9:44 AM
Fuentes worked 1.1 perfect innings of relief Sunday to record his 10th hold of the season in a win over the Rangers. He didn't strike out a batter.
Analysis: The rookie right-hander continues to thrive in a high-leverage relief role, although Atlanta still believes his long-term future will be in the rotation. Since the beginning of June. Fuentes has produced a 2.12 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 19:3 K:BB over 17 innings while picking up one save and seven holds in 18 appearances. |
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Ronald Acuna Jr. Ronald Acuna Jr. Uncertain to return before Thursday
Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 8:42 AM
Manager Walt Weiss said Sunday that Acuna (hamstring) isn't guaranteed to be activated from the 10-day injured list before Atlanta's homestand ends Thursday, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. "He's still got some days ahead of him," Weiss said. "We just want to make sure he doesn't have to try to figure it out or struggle up here. A guy like Acuna... moves the needle for our team. But we have to use good judgment there."
Analysis: Acuna is now five games into a rehab assignment and has gone 2-for-12 with a home run and 4:3 BB:K between stops in the rookie-level Florida Complex League and Triple-A Gwinnett. After serving as a designated hitter in the first four contests, Acuna played right field for the first time Sunday with Gwinnett, and the organization could keep the five-time All-Star at Triple-A for a few more games in order to pick up more defensive reps. Until Acuna is deemed ready to rejoin the big club, Atlanta will get by with a combination of Brewer Hicklen and Eli White in right field. |
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Austin Riley Austin Riley Second multi-homer game of 2026
Sun, Jul 19, 2026, 9:32 PM
Riley went 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI in Sunday's 8-5 win over the Rangers.
Analysis: It was the 10th career multi-homer game from Riley, who recorded his second such effort of the campaign. The 29-year-old third baseman might finally be rediscovering his power stroke a bit in July, during which he's walloped four homers over 55 at-bats. Riley, who hit seventh in Atlanta's lineup Sunday, is still hitting just .217 and slugging only .361 en route to posting a career-worst .657 OPS over 398 trips to the plate, also tallying 12 homers, 13 doubles, 47 RBI and a career-high six stolen bases. |
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Drake Baldwin Drake Baldwin Banner performance in win
Sun, Jul 19, 2026, 9:26 PM
Baldwin went 5-for-5 with a pair of solo home runs and an additional run scored in Sunday's 8-5 win over the Rangers.
Analysis: It was the second career multi-homer game by Baldwin, who also racked up at least four hits for the first time in his career. The All-Star backstop fell into a 1-for-38 tailspin at the dish to close out the month of June, but he's getting back on track in July. Baldwin has gone 21-for-57 (.368) with four homers, 15 RBI and one stolen base this month to raise his season slash line to .276/.362/.481 to go with 18 long balls, 54 RBI and two steals across 334 trips to the plate. |
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Grant Holmes Grant Holmes Nabs sixth win Sunday
Sun, Jul 19, 2026, 9:19 PM
Holmes (6-4) earned the win Sunday against Texas, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks in five innings. He struck out two.
Analysis: Holmes wasn't at his best Sunday, tying a season worst in hits allowed while matching a season low in strikeouts. The 30-year-old right-hander hasn't worked into the sixth inning in seven consecutive starts, fanning just two on four occasions while posting a concerning 21:14 K:BB during that span. Holmes will bring what's still a decent 3.70 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 78:41 K:BB over 92.1 innings into his next scheduled appearance in Baltimore. |
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Martin Perez Martin Perez Likely to rejoin rotation this week
Sun, Jul 19, 2026, 8:46 AM
Manager Walt Weiss said Saturday that Perez (forearm) is likely to return from the 15-day injured list during Atlanta's four-game home series with San Diego that begins Monday, MLB.com reports.
Analysis: The lefty appears most likely to slot back into the rotation Wednesday, which would afford ace Chris Sale an extra day of rest. Perez has been on the shelf since July 6 due to a left forearm contusion, but he's made good progress in his recovery and doesn't look like he'll require a rehab assignment. The 35-year-old doesn't miss many bats (18.6 K%, 22 percent whiff rate), but he's been able to maintain a 3.54 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 81.1 innings by generating groundballs at a healthy 47.7 percent clip. |
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JR Ritchie JR Ritchie Works in relief Saturday
Sun, Jul 19, 2026, 8:37 AM
Ritchie was credited with his second hold of the season in Saturday's 7-6 loss to the Rangers after striking out a batter and allowing one hit and no walks over a scoreless inning of relief.
Analysis: Ritchie helped cover for the demoted Hurston Waldrep last Sunday, with Atlanta deploying him for 4.1 innings of bulk relief in a 4-3 win over St. Louis. Rather than opening the second half with Ritchie as the fifth starter, Atlanta instead handed Owen Murphy his first MLB start Saturday before Atlanta manager Walt Weiss leaned on Ritchie and six other relievers to finish out the contest. Atlanta optioned Murphy to Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday, but Ritchie appears likely to stick in the bullpen for the time being with Martin Perez (forearm) expected to return from the injured list during the upcoming week. |
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Elieser Hernandez Elieser Hernandez Joins big club
Sun, Jul 19, 2026, 8:36 AM
Atlanta selected Hernandez's contract from Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday.
Analysis: The right-hander joined Atlanta on a minor-league contract in November and is now getting his first opportunity in the big leagues since 2024. Hernandez finished that season playing in the Korea Baseball Organization and also spent time overseas in 2025. Thus far in the 2026 season, the 31-year-old posted a 4.83 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 72:27 K:BB across 76.1 innings for Gwinnett. He made 11 starts at Triple-A but will work out of the bullpen for Atlanta. |
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Owen Murphy Owen Murphy Returns to Triple-A
Sun, Jul 19, 2026, 8:31 AM
Atlanta optioned Murphy to Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday.
Analysis: The right-hander made his first big-league start Saturday versus Texas and will head back to Triple-A after giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks over 2.2 innings. Murphy has now covered 6.2 frames across three MLB appearances and has allowed three earned runs with a 6:2 K:BB. The 23-year-old could get another look in the majors later this summer, but for now he should step back into the rotation at Gwinnett. |
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Owen Murphy Owen Murphy Chased early in first MLB start
Sat, Jul 18, 2026, 9:54 PM
Murphy took a no-decision Saturday against Texas, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks in 2.2 innings. He struck out two.
Analysis: Making his first career big-league start following a pair of relief appearances, Murphy struggled to contain the Rangers on Saturday. A fielding error by Mauricio Dubon kept an earned run off Murphy's line in the third inning, but the rookie right-hander failed to throw a clean frame and recorded season worsts in hits, runs and walks allowed. If Martin Perez (forearm) isn't ready to rejoin Atlanta's rotation, Murphy could get another chance as a starter next week against the Padres. |
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AJ Smith-Shawver AJ Smith-Shawver Looks sharp in rehab start
Sat, Jul 18, 2026, 7:11 PM
Smith-Shawver (elbow) allowed four hits and one walk while striking out five across 4.1 scoreless innings during Saturday's rehab start with Triple-A Gwinnett.
Analysis: Smith-Shawver generated 13 whiffs on 72 pitches (43 strikes), and his fastball touched just over 99 mph during Saturday's rehab outing. His rehab assignment is set to run out July 29, so he could make at least a couple of more starts in the minors if Atlanta feels the need to do so. Smith-Shawver is nearing his return from Tommy John surgery that he underwent in June 2025. |
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Sean Murphy Sean Murphy Nearing rehab assignment
Sat, Jul 18, 2026, 1:26 PM
Manager Walt Weiss said Saturday that Murphy (finger) is getting close to beginning a rehab assignment, Grant McAuley of the Marietta Daily Journal reports.
Analysis: A fractured left middle finger has kept Murphy on the shelf since mid-May, but he's been starting to check off the boxes necessary to move on to playing in minor-league games. Given the length of his absence, he'll likely have to play a handful of games in the minors before returning to the active roster. |
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Mike Yastrzemski Mike Yastrzemski Could return Tuesday
Sat, Jul 18, 2026, 1:19 PM
Yastrzemski (elbow) could return from the injured list when eligible Tuesday, Grant McAuley of the Marietta Daily Journal reports.
Analysis: Yastrzemski has made encouraging progress in his recovery since landing on the injured list July 11 with left elbow inflammation. It's still unknown whether Atlanta will send him down to the minors to get some tune-up reps before activating the outfielder to the active roster, but he seems likely to return after the 10-day minimum either way. |
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Spencer Schwellenbach Spencer Schwellenbach No timeline for rehab stint
Sat, Jul 18, 2026, 8:00 AM
Schwellenbach (elbow) has yet to begin a rehab assignment, Chad Bishop of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Analysis: There had been some hope the 26-year-old right-hander would be able to make his season debut before the end of August, but he'll need to get back into game action very soon for that to be a realistic possibility. Schwellenbach is recovering from a fractured elbow he suffered last June, having put together a 3.09 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 108:18 K:BB through 110.2 innings in 2025 to that point. |
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