Braves Promote Owen Murphy as Martín Pérez Heads to IL in Roster Shuffle

The Atlanta Braves have made a significant roster move, calling up promising right-hander Owen Murphy from Triple-A as they strive to maintain their lead in the National League East. The team announced the move on Monday, indicating that Murphy will initially bolster the bullpen, as reported by The Athletic.

Murphy’s ascent comes at a crucial time for Atlanta, especially with Martín Pérez being placed on the injured list due to a forearm contusion. Pérez suffered the injury during Sunday’s nail-biting 10-9 loss to the New York Mets, when a line drive off the bat of Juan Soto struck his left forearm. Although he retired the last nine batters he faced, his early struggles—allowing two runs while retiring just two of the first 11 hitters—highlighted the challenges the Braves have been facing on the mound.

Despite the current bullpen role, Murphy could eventually transition into the starting rotation, especially with Spencer Strider and Robert Suarez also rehabilitating injuries. According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, the expectation is that Murphy will contribute in relief until at least the All-Star break.

At just 22 years old, Murphy is regarded as the Braves’ No. 6 minor-league prospect, having been selected in the first round (20th overall) of the 2022 MLB Draft from Riverside Brookfield High School in Illinois. He began this season in Double-A before earning a promotion to Triple-A after five starts. In his 11 appearances at Triple-A, Murphy has posted a 3.88 ERA, racking up 65 strikeouts against 20 walks over 60 1/3 innings.

In addition to Murphy’s promotion, the Braves also recalled pitcher JR Ritchie from Gwinnett while designating Carlos Carrasco for assignment. Ritchie, 22, has made a swift return to the major leagues after pitching three innings in Saturday’s decisive 14-3 victory. Earlier this season, he made nine appearances for Atlanta, starting seven games and recording a 4.53 ERA with 41 strikeouts across 43 2/3 innings. In his time at Triple-A, Ritchie excelled with a 3.43 ERA and 42 strikeouts over 44 2/3 innings.

Meanwhile, Carrasco, 39, struggled during his time with the Braves, posting a 5.94 ERA over eight appearances while fanning seven batters in 16 2/3 innings. The Braves will look to navigate these roster changes as they continue their pursuit of postseason success.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.