Braves lefty Joey Wentz has suffered a torn ACL in his right knee and will sit out the entire 2026 season. Mark Bowman from MLB.com broke the news. Wentz will be placed on the 60-day injured list when the team needs a roster spot, which is currently at 39, thanks to outfielder Jurickson Profar being on the restricted list for a PED suspension.
The injury happened during a recent game when Wentz covered first base on a bunt attempt. Initially, tests suggested it wasn’t serious, but further evaluations proved otherwise.
At 28 years old, Wentz joined the Braves off waivers last July. He started 13 games and made one relief appearance, with an earned run average of 4.92. His strikeout and walk rates were around league average. This performance led the Braves to agree to a $900,000 contract for 2026, avoiding arbitration.
Just weeks ago, Wentz was facing tough competition for a spot in the Atlanta rotation. After surgeries sidelined Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep due to elbow issues, the rotation looks thin. Currently, Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Reynaldo López, and Grant Holmes are projected to fill four spots, leaving Wentz, Bryce Elder, and José Suarez to fight for the last position. Since all three have no options left, one was likely headed for a long relief role.
Even before these injuries, fans were calling for the Braves to strengthen their rotation. Sale has struggled with injuries over the past six years, making more than 20 starts only once. Strider returned from surgery but had a mediocre 4.45 ERA. López pitched only once last year due to shoulder surgery, while Holmes is dealing with a partially torn ligament. Elder and Suarez struggled in their recent performances.
The urgency to add more pitchers has been low, though. Reports showed that the Braves showed little interest in Chris Bassitt before he signed with the Orioles and didn’t pursue free agent Lucas Giolito either. Zack Littell was still available until he recently signed with the Nationals.
With Wentz’s injury and Profar’s suspension freeing up salary, the team might be more inclined to explore free agency. The suspension means they don’t have to pay his $15 million salary, potentially saving about $18 million when considering tax savings. That could allow for new signings like Giolito, Tyler Anderson, or Patrick Corbin.
Depth options now include Didier Fuentes, JR Ritchie, Martín Pérez, Carlos Carrasco, and Elieser Hernández. Fuentes had a tough start in the big leagues last season, Ritchie is a promising prospect with minimal experience, and the veterans have had mixed success.
Wentz’s injury is disappointing, especially since he had a good chance to earn a rotation spot. The silver lining is that he will still gain a year of service time while on the injured list, but he may find himself non-tendered heading into 2027.
For further details, you can check MLB.com.
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