Braves fans saddened by Kyle Wright missing team's next season due to lengthy shoulder issue - "Absolutely brutal"
On October 7, the Atlanta Braves announced that starting pitcher Kyle Wright would be heading to the long-term IL. With members of their team's rotation appearing to drop like flies, fans of the team are worried.
Wright, 27, has had a rough season. After a breakout in 2022 that saw him post a league-best 18 wins, Wright has struggled to maintain any semblance of consistency this year.
"I missed this earlier, but Kyle Wright was placed on the 60-day injured list with a right shoulder strain today. He won't be an option for the remainder of the postseason" - Kris Willis
On account of shoulder inflammation, Kyle Wright will head to the 60-day IL. Since suffering an original shoulder injury against the Miami Marlins in May, Wright has only made four starts, surrendering twelve runs in twelve innings.
According to Braves GM Brian Snitker, Wright will need to undergo a procedure, which will knock him out of any possible postseason appearances this year. The Braves are scheduled to take on the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday. Fans are not thrilled at the news.
Although Wright is far from the best starter on the Braves, especially this season, the team's arms have been bitten hard by the injury bug. Max Fried, who posted a 2.55 ERA and a record of 8-1 this season, has been dealing with recurring blister problems. Meanwhile, Charlie Morton is day-to-day with finger issues.
Ace Spencer Strider will get the start against the Phillies in Game 1. Strider was one of the best pitchers in all of baseball this year. The 24-year old registered a league-best 281 strikeouts alongside a 20-5 record. However, after surrendering ten runs in his final three starts of the regular season, questions have been raised.
Kyle Wright's unavailability causes more opportunities for underdog Phillies
The Atlanta Braves led MLB in virtually every single offensive metric this season. While the Phillies are a solid hitting team, their offensive prowess does not even come close to that of the Braves. As such, getting to the Braves' pitchers, particularly their starters, needs to be a priority for manager Rob Thomson's side.
While Kyle Wright may not be the best arm that the Braves have, his lagging injury issues raise significant questions for the future. Moreover, the Braves will need to rely all the more heavily on their start pitchers with one less backup option.