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Didier Fuentes Didier Fuentes Still viewed as future starter
Wed, May 27, 2026, 10:20 AM
Fuentes will likely remain in a long-relief role this season unless Atlanta endures further injuries in the rotation, but his long-term future is still as a starting pitcher, Jesus Cano of The Athletic reports. "Developing starters in the bullpen used to be the blueprint in this game," manager Walt Weiss said Monday. "I think you have to identify the guys that can benefit, and (Fuentes) is one of those guys."
Analysis: The right-hander doesn't turn 21 years old for another few weeks, but Fuentes has been impressive in the big-league bullpen this season, posting a 2.66 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 24:8 K:BB in 20.1 innings over 13 appearances (one start) with three wins and two holds. He had been almost exclusively a starter in the minors, but he's adjusted well to his new role. "It's thanks to the veterans in the bullpen and rotation," Fuentes said Monday via a translator. "They've taught me so much about preparation and sequencing, but at the same time, they've helped me mature as a person." |
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Michael Harris II Michael Harris II Four hits, homer in win Tuesday
Tue, May 26, 2026, 10:40 PM
Harris went 4-for-4 with a two-run homer, one double, three RBI and two runs scored in Tuesday's 7-6 win over the Red Sox.
Analysis: After a 2-for-12 weekend against the Nationals, Harris' bat heated right back up in the series opener against Boston, as he logged his second four-hit game of the month. In 33 games since April 19, Harris is 39-for-118 (.331) at the plate with nine homers, 24 RBI and 18 runs scored. For the season, the 25-year-old is slashing .304/.332/.533 with 12 homers, 32 RBI, 25 runs scored, three stolen bases and a 7:37 BB:K across 193 trips to the dish. He's in the 93rd percentile or better in xBA (.298), xSLG (.560), average exit velocity (93.3 mph), barrel rate (16.1 percent) and hard-hit rate (55.6 percent), suggesting Harris' results are real. |
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Matt Olson Matt Olson Swats 15th homer in win
Tue, May 26, 2026, 10:29 PM
Olson went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer and hit-by-pitch in Tuesday's 7-6 win over the Red Sox.
Analysis: With Atlanta trailing 2-0 in the top of the fifth inning, Olson took a first-pitch sinker from lefty Ranger Suarez deep to right field for his 15th homer of the season. It snapped a 13-game home run drought for the 32-year-old, who had seen his average drop 33 points in that span. Olson has just four multi-hit games this month. He's slashing .263/.343/.554 with the 15 home runs, 44 RBI, 38 runs scored, one stolen base and a 26:57 BB:K across 242 plate appearances this season. |
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Raisel Iglesias Raisel Iglesias Hangs on for ninth save
Tue, May 26, 2026, 10:23 PM
Iglesias picked up the save in Tuesday's 7-6 win over the Red Sox, allowing two runs on four hits and no walks with one strikeout in the ninth inning.
Analysis: Iglesias came on to protect a 7-4 lead but allowed four of the first five hitters to reach with three singles and a double before getting Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu to both ground out to pick up his ninth save of the season. They were the first two runs scored against Iglesias this season after he'd gone 15 straight scoreless appearances to begin 2026. Iglesias now owns a 1.08 ERA and 20:3 K:BB across 16.2 innings. |
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Spencer Strider Spencer Strider Picks up win over Boston
Tue, May 26, 2026, 10:17 PM
Strider (3-0) picked up the win Tuesday against the Red Sox, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts across five-plus innings.
Analysis: Strider gave up back-to-back homers to Jarren Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela on five pitches to lead off the bottom of the first inning, but he was able to settle in after that, allowing just one hit over his last 19 batters. A leadoff walk in the sixth came around to score with Didier Fuentes in relief of Strider. The 27-year-old Strider has now given up three runs in three of his five starts since returning from an oblique injury, but the results have still been strong with a 3.45 ERA and 32:15 K:BB across 26 innings. His fastball velocity remains down some at 95.3 mph, but he still entered Tuesday in the 96th percentile in strikeout rate (32.9 percent) and 97th percentile in whiff rate (36.1 percent). |
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Spencer Schwellenbach Spencer Schwellenbach Begins throwing program
Tue, May 26, 2026, 2:57 PM
Schwellenbach (elbow) has begun throwing on flat ground, Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Analysis: Schwellenbach began his throwing progression last week, per Grant McAuley of the Marietta Daily Journal, and did some more light tossing at Fenway Park pregame Tuesday. Atlanta has already ruled Schwellenbach out through the All-Star break, and a clear timetable won't be available until he starts ramping things up. Schwellenbach underwent surgery in February to remove bone spurs from his right elbow. |
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Jose Azocar Jose Azocar Back with Atlanta on MiLB deal
Tue, May 26, 2026, 1:32 PM
Atlanta re-signed Azocar to a minor-league contract Tuesday, Lindsay Crosby of BravesToday.com reports.
Analysis: For the second time this month, Azocar has re-signed with Atlanta after having been removed from its 40-man roster. Azocar is 5-for-15 at the dish during his brief time with the big club this season. He'll provide experienced outfield depth at Triple-A Gwinnett. |
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Returning from IL
Tue, May 26, 2026, 9:59 AM
Single-A Augusta reinstated Essenburg (undisclosed) from its 7-day injured list Tuesday.
Analysis: The outfielder had been on the shelf for about six weeks due to an undisclosed issue but should rejoin the lineup for Augusta's series opener versus Kannapolis. Essenburg completed a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Florida State League prior to being activated, going 3-for-17 with three walks over five games. |
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Drake Baldwin Drake Baldwin No timeline for return
Tue, May 26, 2026, 8:04 AM
Baldwin (oblique) doesn't yet have a timeline for his return, MLB.com reports.
Analysis: The star catcher landed on the IL on May 19 with a Grade 1 oblique strain, the mildest category, but the best-case scenario still likely has him out until mid-June. Until Baldwin resumes baseball activities, though, a clear target date for his return won't be available. |
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Ozzie Albies Ozzie Albies Three knocks in Sunday's loss
Mon, May 25, 2026, 9:33 AM
Albies went 3-for-4 with a run scored in Sunday's loss to the Nationals.
Analysis: The second baseman accounted for half of Atlanta's hits on the afternoon, and he crossed the plate with the team's only run in the ninth inning. Since seeing a 17-game hitting streak come to an end May 5, Albies fell into a funk, batting .059 (2-for-34) over the subsequent nine contests, but he may be coming out of it. Across his last eight games, he's batting .258 (8-for-31) with four RBI and seven runs, although his homer drought stands at 18 games. |
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Martin Perez Martin Perez Tough-luck loss vs. Washington
Sun, May 24, 2026, 8:38 PM
Perez (2-3) took the loss against the Nationals on Sunday, allowing one run on five hits and two walks while striking out two across 5.2 innings.
Analysis: Perez generated only two whiffs in Sunday's start, but he did induce seven groundouts. He limited the Nationals to just one run in his outing, but he was still tagged with the loss due to his Atlanta teammates failing to score until the ninth inning. Perez will bring a 2.70 ERA and 1.03 WHIP across 46.2 innings this season into his next start, tentatively slated for next weekend on the road against Cincinnati. |
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Mike Yastrzemski Mike Yastrzemski Excluded from starting nine Sunday
Sun, May 24, 2026, 2:25 PM
Yastrzemski is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals.
Analysis: Yastrzemski will head to the bench for the second time in the series, with the left-handed batter taking a seat while southpaw Foster Griffin starts for the Nationals. Atlanta will go with Mauricio Dubon in left field as Yastrzemski's replacement. |
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Dominic Smith Dominic Smith Retreating to bench vs. lefty
Sun, May 24, 2026, 2:24 PM
Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals.
Analysis: After starting Atlanta's previous four games, the left-handed-hitting Smith will retreat to the bench Sunday while the Nationals send southpaw Foster Griffin to the bump. Ronald Acuna will receive a day off from playing the outfield but will remain in the lineup while filling Smith's usual role as Atlanta's designated hitter. |
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Grant Holmes Grant Holmes Strikes out 10 in loss
Sat, May 23, 2026, 6:35 PM
Holmes (3-2) took the loss against the Nationals on Saturday, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts over five innings.
Analysis: Holmes was burned by two solo homers but was otherwise impressive, piling up a ridiculous 18 whiffs on 87 pitches en route to a season-high 10 strikeouts. The 30-year-old has yielded three earned runs or fewer in nine of 10 starts this season, though he's topped 90 pitches only once and completed more than five innings just four times. He'll carry a 3.78 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 48:24 K:BB across 52.1 innings into a road matchup against the Reds next weekend. |
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Ha-Seong Kim Ha-Seong Kim Riding pine Saturday
Sat, May 23, 2026, 12:31 PM
Kim isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Washington.
Analysis: Kim has notched a base hit and scored a run in each of his last three games, but he'll take a seat on the bench Saturday while Mauricio Dubon starts at shortstop, batting seventh. |
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Tyler Kinley Tyler Kinley Collects win Friday
Sat, May 23, 2026, 9:25 AM
Kinley (4-2) picked up the win over the Nationals on Friday, striking out two in a perfect 11th inning.
Analysis: The right-hander fired seven of his 11 pitches for strikes to leave the phantom runner stranded, and Kinley was rewarded for his efforts when Chadwick Tromp walked it off with a single in the bottom of the 11th. Kinley has four wins and seven holds in 24 appearances this season, but his performance has regressed in May as he's posted an 8.22 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 9:2 K:BB over 7.2 innings while serving up all four of the homers he's allowed in 2026. |
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Austin Riley Austin Riley Reaches base four times Friday
Sat, May 23, 2026, 8:41 AM
Riley went 3-for-3 with three singles, one walk and a run scored in Friday's 5-4 extra-innings win over the Nationals.
Analysis: Riley walked and scored in the seventh inning and singled in all three other trips to the plate before Jorge Mateo pinch ran for him in a 2-2 game in the bottom of the ninth. Riley ended the month of April with a .190 average and .588 OPS. He has six multi-hit games and five homers in May, raising his season slash line to .221/.292/.385 with eight homers, 31 RBI, 27 runs scored, three stolen bases and a 16:59 BB:K across 216 plate appearances. |
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Mauricio Dubon Mauricio Dubon Three more hits Friday
Sat, May 23, 2026, 8:36 AM
Dubon went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI in Friday's 5-4 extra-innings win over the Nationals.
Analysis: Dubon doubled in the first inning and later singled home a run in the bottom of the 10th to send the game to the 11th. It was Dubon's second three-hit game of the week, and he's now on a five-game hitting streak. After opening the season as Atlanta's shortstop, Dubon has mainly been handling left field this month with Ha-Seong Kim back from injury. Dubon is slashing .269/.321/.407 with three homers, 29 RBI, 21 runs scored and a 12:32 BB:K across 196 plate appearances this season. |
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Bryce Elder Bryce Elder Yields just one run in no-decision
Sat, May 23, 2026, 8:29 AM
Elder didn't factor into the decision Friday against the Nationals, allowing one run on five hits and one walk with four strikeouts across six innings.
Analysis: It was Elder's eighth quality start in 11 outings this season. The right-hander continues to get strong results despite a low-90s fastball and subpar whiff rate. Hitters haven't been able to square him up, as evidenced by a 3.5 percent barrel rate. Elder now owns a 1.97 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 60:21 K:BB across 68.2 innings this season. His xERA of 3.03 and 3.30 FIP suggest Elder has been a little bit lucky. He's lined up to face the Red Sox at Fenway Park in his next outing. |
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AJ Smith-Shawver AJ Smith-Shawver Throwing bullpen sessions
Fri, May 22, 2026, 4:22 PM
Manager Walt Weiss said Friday that Smith-Shawver (elbow) has been throwing bullpen sessions, and the next step in his rehab is to face live hitters, Grant McAuley of the Marietta Daily Journal reports.
Analysis: There hasn't been much info on Smith-Shawver's progress from Tommy John surgery, but Weiss said the right-hander has been throwing high-intensity bullpens, and it sounds like he's close to facing hitters. Once Smith-Shawver gets in some live batting practice, he'll likely then head out on an extended rehab assignment before having a chance to rejoin Atlanta's rotation later this summer. |
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