Atlanta Braves' Kyle Wright Expected to Miss Next Season Following Shoulder Surgery
Atlanta Braves right-handed pitcher Kyle Wright underwent surgery to repair a torn capsule in his right shoulder on Wednesday, the team announced Friday afternoon. He is expected to miss the entire 2024 season.
Wright was placed on the 60-day injured list with a right shoulder sprain on Oct. 7, ruling the 28-year-old out for the Braves' playoff run in the process.
As it turned out, the 104-win Braves lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS, getting knocked out of the postseason with a 3-1 loss in Game 4 on Thursday night.
Since making his major league debut in 2018, Wright has only recorded one full season on the mound.
The righty went 21-5 with a 3.19 ERA, 1.159 WHIP and 174 strikeouts across 180.1 innings in 2022, ultimately placing 10th in NL Cy Young voting. In all five of his other seasons combined, however, Wright is 3-11 with a 6.68 ERA, 1.733 WHIP and 93 strikeouts in 101.0 innings.
Injuries were rarely the reason Wright failed to rack up service time in the majors, as the No. 5 overall pick from the 2017 MLB Draft spent long stretches of 2019 and 2021 pitching for Triple-A Gwinnett.
Wright was 1-3 with a 6.97 ERA, 1.839 WHIP and a career-high 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings in his limited time with Atlanta in 2023. He was on the injured list from May 4 to Sept. 11 with a shoulder strain, and he made his final appearance on Sept. 28.
The Braves have control of Wright for another three seasons. He will be 31 years old when he hits free agency in 2027, should Atlanta retain him for that long.
Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder and Max Fried are once again expected to make up the core of the Braves' starting rotation in 2024. A 40-year-old Charlie Morton could rejoin the group as well, if Atlanta's front office picks up his $20 million option for next season.
Wright, meanwhile, will have to wait until 2025 to try his luck at cracking the rotation again.
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