Top prospect Owen Murphy arrives as Braves search for rotation spark

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The Atlanta Braves are turning to one of the organization’s brightest young arms, officially promoting top pitching prospect Owen Murphy to the major league roster following a series of pitching-related roster moves.

Atlanta announced Monday that Murphy has been called up for the first time in his career. To make room on the 40-man roster, veteran right-hander Carlos Carrasco was designated for assignment, while left-hander Martín Pérez was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left forearm contusion after being struck by a line drive during Sunday’s loss to the New York Mets. Right-hander JR Ritchie was also recalled to the active roster.

Murphy arrives in Atlanta after an impressive season in the minors. Across Double-A and Triple-A this year, the 22-year-old posted a 5-7 record with a 4.44 ERA over 16 starts, striking out 92 batters in 81 innings while holding opponents to 64 hits for a 1.26 WHIP.

The former first-round pick (20th overall) in the 2022 MLB Draft is ranked as the Braves’ No. 5 prospect by MLB Pipeline and No. 4 by Baseball America. Scouts praise Murphy’s three-pitch arsenal, highlighted by a fastball with above-average life, a swing-and-miss slider and a developing curveball. He also has shown impressive command since returning from Tommy John surgery, making him one of the organization’s most promising young starters.

Braves revamp pitching staff

Murphy’s most recent Triple-A outing may have been his best. Pitching for Gwinnett on July 1, he threw six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out seven and walking one, a performance that likely helped convince the Braves he was ready for the next step.

The move also signals Atlanta’s commitment to getting younger. Carrasco struggled to provide stability in the rotation, and Murphy now has an opportunity to establish himself while Pérez recovers.

With the Braves battling to stay in the National League playoff race, Murphy’s promotion represents one of the organization’s biggest moves of the season. If the hard-throwing right-hander carries his strikeout ability to the majors, he could become an important part of Atlanta’s rotation for years to come.