Braves Option Waldrep, Make Room for Prospect Reliever

The Atlanta Braves officially cleared space on the active roster for bullpen depth over the weekend. Manager Brian Snitker said on Friday that starting pitcher Hurston Waldrep would be optioned to Triple-A, and Hayden Harris would be called up.

The Braves made the move official on Saturday morning.

Waldrep’s season is already complete, and he has the options, making it easy for the Braves to swap the two. A fresh arm can be available for any situation.

Harris made his Major League debut earlier this month and made three appearances in relief. He pitched to a 3.38 ERA over 2 2/3 innings before heading back to Triple-A after a week with Atlanta.

The team’s No. 26 prospect has been stellar in the minor leagues all season. He has a 0.52 ERA overall and a 0.31 ERA with Triple-A Gwinnett. In 52 minor league innings, he has allowed three earned runs.

During the All-Star festivities, he got to represent the Braves on home field during the All-Star Futures Game alongside No. 2 prospect JR Ritichie.

He’ll get a chance to potentially get some reps in to finish up the season and create a good baseline for himself for next season. This can be considered part two of his audition, as he’ll be a candidate to be part of the bullpen next season.

Meanwhile, Waldrep has already passed his audition for next season. He limited the Washington Nationals to one run over six innings on Tuesday despite allowing five hits and four walks.

He heads into the offseason with a 2.88 ERA in 10 games, nine starts, and a 1.18 WHIP. He felt he positioned himself well for next year, but he’s going to do more reflection when he gets back home.

“It sets a really good standard for next year,” Waldrep said Tuesday night. “I think it puts me in a good spot to go and get everything I work for on a daily basis. I think that it’s exactly where I need to be. No more. No less.”

Waldrep is expected to be part of the rotation to start the 2026 season, a major step forward from looking to be on the outside looking in about two months ago.

The Braves will take on the Pittsburgh Pirates at home in a three-game series to finish up the season. The rotation is set with Joey Wentz, Spencer Strider and Charlie Morton. First pitch on Friday is set for 7:15 p.m.

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