Braves Shuffle Pitching Roster as Trade Deadline Approaches

The Atlanta Braves optioned 22-year-old right-hander Owen Murphy to Triple-A Gwinnett and promoted veteran right-hander Elieser Hernández to the major-league roster before Sunday’s game against the Texas Rangers. Murphy’s first start resulted in three runs (two earned) over 2  2/3 innings in a 7-6 loss. Hernández, 31, last appeared in the majors in 2024, posting a combined 6.32 ERA in nine games for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers. Over six seasons he is 10-22 with a 5.10 ERA in 99 games, including 49 starts.

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Braves manager Walt Weiss emphasized execution over raw talent in evaluating Murphy’s outing, noting the need for “good starts” from the rotation. He highlighted that left-hander Martín Pérez, on the injured list since July 6 with a forearm contusion, is “on the radar” for a return, while right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver “will be in the conversation” after a recent 4  1/3 -scoreless-inning effort at Gwinnett. Weiss also indicated that the team must “take a step forward with our starting pitching” as the August 3 trade deadline looms.

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• “left some pitches over the plate. It was more about execution than anything else.” — Walt Weiss, Braves manager

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• “We need to take a step forward with our starting pitching,” — Walt Weiss

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• “The guys have done it. They've been good this year, especially early on for a few months. So it's certainly in there. But yeah, we've got to put together some good starts.” — Walt Weiss

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• “is on the radar” — Walt Weiss

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Weiss’s comments signal that the Braves are evaluating both returning injured arms and emerging talent as they consider roster adjustments before the August 3 deadline. The promotion of Hernández provides a short-term depth option, while the status of Pérez and Smith-Shawver could influence whether Atlanta seeks external acquisitions or relies on internal development to solidify its rotation for the stretch run.

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