Overview
- Both Reynaldo López and Hurston Waldrep delivered effective auditions in Atlanta’s 3-1 win, with López allowing one run over three innings and Waldrep tossing two scoreless frames.
- Manager Walt Weiss said he must choose between the two arms and signaled that López is likely to get another start while Waldrep could be sent back to Triple-A to build up unless the club instead moves Grant Holmes to the bullpen or expands to a six-man rotation.
- Spencer Strider’s right-elbow inflammation has left a vacancy in the rotation and rookie JR Ritchie was optioned to Triple-A after two big-league starts, leaving the club to use internal depth for now.
- The decision hinges on medical and workload concerns: López had season-ending right-shoulder surgery in early 2025 and has been used between the bullpen and rotation, and Waldrep recently had arthroscopic elbow surgery and has been carefully built back as a starter.
- How Atlanta resolves this will affect short-term bullpen use and the pitchers’ development and could shape the club’s plans leading up to the Aug. 3 trade deadline.