Didier Fuentes: Everything you need to know

Fuentes had his start with Triple-A Gwinnett skipped Sunday, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. Atlanta is currently in the midst of a stretch of 10 games in 10 days, so holding Fuentes back gives the team the option to call him up either for a spot start to buy the rest of the rotation some rest, or to work in long relief. Even if Fuentes doesn't get promoted, having a start skipped allows Atlanta to keep the 20-year-old right-hander's workload in check, as he has yet to throw more than 75.2 innings in a season. Fuentes has had an outstanding start to the campaign, posting a combined 24:7 K:BB over 20.2 innings between Triple-A and the majors with a 2.18 ERA and 0.82 WHIP. With Spencer Strider (oblique) closing in on his 2026 debut, however, Atlanta doesn't have a permanent spot available in the rotation for Fuentes just yet.

Fuentes has a 0.00 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 15:5 K:BB through 9.2 innings in his first two starts of the season for Triple-A Gwinnett. The 20-year-old began the year in the big-league bullpen, but since being optioned to Gwinnett, Fuentes has dominated Triple-A hitters. He's likely first in line for a promotion when Atlanta needs rotation help, but with Reynaldo Lopez not set to miss a turn after having his suspension reduced to five games from seven and Martin Perez looking at least adequate so far as the fifth starter, Fuentes may need to bide his time in the International League.

Atlanta optioned Fuentes to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday. Fuentes wasn't going to be available to pitch for a few days after allowing one earned run over four relief innings in Sunday's loss to the Royals. He will enter the Gwinnett rotation so he can stay stretched out and could get an opportunity to start some games with Atlanta sooner rather than later. Martin Perez is taking Fuentes' spot on the active roster and could start Tuesday at home against the A's.