‘JR has got all the makings of a starter long term in this game,’ manager Walt Weiss says.
Braves starting pitcher JR Ritchie throws during the first inning against the Nationals on Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. In his first major league start, Ritchie allowed a home run on his first pitch, but he settled down to allow two runs and five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks in seven innings. (Nick Wass/AP)
What was perhaps the most important lesson JR Ritchie learned Thursday in Washington?
“Honestly, the biggest thing is that big-league hitters are really good,” Ritchie said Tuesday in the clubhouse at Truist Park.
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Chad Bishop is the Atlanta Braves beat writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
