The Atlanta Braves clearly are high on young right-handed pitcher Didier Fuentes. It’s been reported over the past year-plus that when Fuentes has come up in trade talks with other teams, the Braves have shut that idea down quickly.
Atlanta gave Fuentes a bit of time as a starter upon his initial arrival in the major leagues, more out of necessity than anything. Since then, he’s mostly worked as a high-leverage reliever.
That’s not the long-term aim for Fuentes, though. Atlanta has always believed he can be in the starting rotation.
And a move they made this past week — signing Evan Phillips to a three-year, $35 million contract to bolster the bullpen — potentially sets the Braves up to move forward how they want with Fuentes.
Didier Fuentes Plan
The Athletic’s Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal wrote in a new article about how the Phillips signing sets the Braves up to move Fuentes to the rotation.
“So much of the Atlanta Braves’ pitching blueprint for 2027 revolves around right-hander Didier Fuentes, the 21-year-old prodigy who excelled last season after moving to the bullpen,” The Athletic duo writes. “The three-year, $35 million agreement the Braves reached Thursday with free-agent righty reliever Evan Phillips was necessary for them to stretch out Fuentes as a starting pitcher next spring. But the Braves still want to add at least one starter, according to people briefed on their plans. They could re-sign Raisel Iglesias or add another closer, too.”
Sammon and Rosenthal are quick to point out that things aren’t set in stone.
“Fuentes is not a lock for the rotation,” they write. “If for some reason the Braves aren’t comfortable with what they see from him in the spring, they could always return him to the bullpen. And even if they commit to Fuentes, it’s difficult to imagine him as a full-season option. Between the majors and minors, he pitched only 97 innings last season, including playoffs.”
Still, it sounds like Fuentes is closer than ever to being a full-time member of Atlanta’s rotation.
Braves Need Another Starter
Sammon and Rosenthal go on to write that regardless of Fuentes, Atlanta could use another starting pitcher, and they quickly reference Sonny Gray.
“Whatever the outcome with Fuentes, it would behoove the Braves to add at least one starter,” Sammon and Rosenthal write. “Free-agent righty Sonny Gray, who lives in Nashville and prefers to pitch relatively close to home, remains an obvious fit. And if the Braves opt against adding a closer, they could always supplement their bullpen with a setup type to pitch in front of Phillips and Suarez.”
It has the potential to be an exciting offseason for the Braves, assuming the lockout isn’t too painful.
Braves’ Didier Fuentes Plan Revealed After $35 Million Signing