Hurston Waldrep didn’t light up the strikeout column, but make no mistake that his latest outing against the Marlins may have been one of his most impressive yet. In the Atlanta Braves’ 11–2 win, the rookie right-hander battled through 5 1/3 innings, scattering eight hits and a walk while giving up just one run. Zero strikeouts, plenty of traffic, but an enormous display of poise.
That’s the story here. Waldrep didn’t cruise with wipeout stuff. He grinded. He limited damage in the first inning, then wriggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth to preserve a 2–1 Braves lead. That ability to stand tall when things aren’t easy says more about his maturity than the nights he overwhelms hitters.
And that’s why, over the past 30 days, no pitcher in Major League Baseball has been better. Literally, Waldrep owns the lowest ERA in the game during that span specifically: 0.90, the only mark under 1.00.
Waldrep’s Case for Pitcher of the Month
Numbers like that don’t go unnoticed, especially when awards season chatter heats up. Waldrep is right in the mix for National League Pitcher of the Month, though the competition is fierce. The last Braves pitcher to capture the honor was Chris Sale in May 2024, a stretch that set the stage for his eventual Cy Young Award.
The primary roadblock is Chicago Cubs rookie Cade Horton, whose August has been every bit as dazzling. Horton’s stat line: 0.72 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, .140 opponent batting average, 27 strikeouts in 25 innings. Waldrep counters with a 0.90 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, .202 opponent batting average, and 24 strikeouts in 30 innings. The only category Waldrep leads is innings pitched — valuable, yes, but Horton has the edge across the board.
The Kershaw Factor
Then there’s Clayton Kershaw. The future Hall of Famer has turned back the clock this August, spinning a 1.88 ERA with a 0.87 WHIP and 19 strikeouts across 28 2/3 innings. He’s not quite on Horton or Waldrep’s level statistically, but if sentiment ever creeps into the voting, this might be the perfect chance to honor a legend one more time.
Regardless of how the final vote swings, Waldrep has cemented himself as one of the most exciting arms in the league. His growth isn’t just in the numbers, but in how he handles adversity — battling through jams, finding ways to win even without his best stuff.
Rookie of the Month, Pitcher of the Month, or neither, his return to the majors has already been a triumph. And if he does manage to snag the hardware? Nobody who’s watched him throw lately will be surprised.
