The Atlanta Braves found out on Wednesday that they will be without two of their starting pitchers for the foreseeable future.
The Atlanta Braves may have a pretty sizable lead in the NL East so far, but there is area for concern, specifically on the injury front. This past week, they have seen two starting pitchers in Kyle Wright and Max Fried go down with injuries.
Wright left a start against the Miami Marlins earlier this month due to right shoulder soreness that later turned into right shoulder inflammation and right shoulder strain. As for Fried, he was diagnosed with a left forearm strain after a rough start against the Baltimore Orioles on May 5.
Well, the Braves were informed of both starters' timelines for a return, and they're both not good.
Both Fried and Wright are expected to be sidelined for two months, per MLB.com's Mark Bowman. However, Wright said he feels that he could be out longer than Fried.
Braves: Max Fried, Kyle Wright sidelined for two months due to injuries
This is a one-two punch that the Braves didn't want to deal with.
Fried had been playing relatively well, giving up just one earned run in his first four starts of the season. But against the Orioles on May 5, he gave up five earned runs on eight hits in six innings pitched in the 9-4 loss. After that game, the team placed Fried on the injured list, retroactive May 6.
As for Wright, he left his aforementioned game against the Marlins after surrendering three hits in the third inning and following a conversation with manager Brian Snitker, pitching coach Rick Kranitz, and members of the training staff. The injury progressed from right shoulder soreness to a right shoulder strain.
When Wright was placed on the injured list, the Braves called up prospect Dylan Dodd to fill the roster spot. Danny Young was called up to replace Fried on the active roster.
The Braves do have some deep starting pitching depth, but losing two in one fell swoop isn't the greatest news to hear. Luckily for Atlanta, it is still early in the season, so there is time for them to work around these injuries and to maintain their lead in the NL East.