JT Ritchie pitched well in his MLB debut on Thursday.
The Atlanta Braves earned a 7-2 win over the Washington Nationals on Thursday. Braves No. 2 overall prospect JR Ritchie made his MLB debut in the ball game. Things did not begin well, as Ritchie surrendered a first pitch home run to James Wood. The right-handed hurler settled down after, however, and ended up allowing only two earned runs in seven innings of work.
Following the contest, Ritchie discussed his ability to bounce back after the early long ball, via MLB.com.
"It was kind of like an, 'Are you kidding me moment.' Definitely didn't anticipate the (first pitch home run)," Ritchie said. "I knew he was swinging first pitch. Tried to get a fastball away, left it middle... But my Dad always preached to me growing up about how you respond to adversity kind of makes you."
Ritchie then added how he wanted to pitch deep into the game and save the bullpen if possible. You do not always hear young pitchers make comments like that, but Ritchie was clearly thinking about the team. His seven innings certainly helped to save the bullpen. He looked like a veteran on the mound with the way he responded.
More importantly, he gave the Braves an opportunity to win the contest. Ritchie ended up allowing only five hits while also striking out seven batters. The way he rebounded after the early home run was encouraging to say the least.
It will be interesting to see if Ritchie ends up staying in the starting rotation moving forward.
Braves Earn Victory in JR Ritchie's Big League Debut
The Braves' offense gave Richie plenty of run support on Thursday. Atlanta scored seven runs on 14 hits in the game. Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II and Matt Olson all had three hits in the big win, while Albies hit a home run. Albies also led the Braves with four RBIs, while Harris added two.
The Braves improved to 18-8 overall with the victory. They have the most victories in the sport and Atlanta now holds a 5.5 game lead in the National League East division. It has been a successful start to the new campaign for the Braves to say the least.
Atlanta will host the Philadelphia Phillies over the weekend, with the first game scheduled for Friday night. Philadelphia has struggled throughout the 2026 campaign, but the Phillies still have a talented overall roster. It should be a competitive series between the National League East rivals.
First pitch on Friday night is scheduled for 7:15 PM EST.