The Atlanta Braves are plugging holes and crossing fingers. On Monday morning, the team officially announced that right-hander Erick Fedde has reported and will start Tuesday’s game against the Kansas City Royals. It’s a move that fills the club’s fourth rotation spot—at least for now.
In a corresponding move, reliever Hunter Stratton was optioned back to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Fedde isn’t exactly riding a hot streak into Atlanta. After being designated for assignment by the St. Louis Cardinals, he comes to the Braves with two very different narratives. Through his first 15 starts this season, he posted a strong 3.54 ERA, showing flashes of reliability. But recently? The wheels fell off. His last five outings have ballooned his ERA to 13.25 over that stretch, and the Cardinals decided they’d seen enough.
Still, the Braves see value. And in fairness, it’s hard to ignore what he did in 2023 after returning from a season in the KBO—3.30 ERA in 31 starts and a reputation for being a steady arm. Right now, “steady” would be a dream.
Braves’ Rotation is in Shambles
Fedde joins Spencer Strider, Joey Wentz, and Bryce Elder as the current starters. That’s a group stitched together out of necessity, not design. All five Opening Day rotation members are on the injured list, and just last week, the Braves lost Grant Holmes. Fedde’s arrival isn’t about upside—it’s about survival.
There was some buzz Sunday that top prospect Hurston Waldrep could be getting the call from Gwinnett. But that’s on pause. For now, there’s no plan for a fifth starter, no clear reinforcements, and no public signal from the front office about what comes next.
And all of this is happening as the Braves try to climb out of a post-All-Star slump that’s getting harder to ignore. After being swept by the Texas Rangers to start the road trip, the Braves have now dropped seven of nine games. This wasn’t supposed to happen to a club with championship expectations, but here we are.
The rotation’s being patched up, the lineup’s inconsistent, and the vibes? Let’s just say the phrase “it can always get worse” is starting to feel less like sarcasm and more like a forecast.
Fedde gets the ball on Tuesday. What happens after that? Anyone’s guess.
