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Braves rookie Hurston Waldrep joins Fernando Valenzuela in historic feat unmatched since 1981

The Atlanta Braves have had a challenging season — not just in terms of winning, but with seemingly everything going wrong. They currently sit far outside of a Wild Card spot, and as the days tick by, the window for securing a playoff berth continues to close. To make matters worse, Austin Riley’s injury may be more serious than initially expected.

“Braves 3B Austin Riley is seeing a specialist, Dr. William Meyers, today in Philadelphia to diagnose the recurring abdominal soreness that’s twice landed him on the IL and could be a sports hernia. Meyers is a leading authority in core muscle injuries,” The Athletic’s David O’Brien wrote.

Still, there have been a few bright spots in recent weeks. One of them is the resurgence of Michael Harris II at the plate. After a rough stretch where he seemed completely out of rhythm, Harris has found his swing again — and he credits Braves legend Chipper Jones for the turnaround.

“Chipper told me it’s better to swing up to down than down to up, so being up there is a good thing. And I feel like everything’s been a lot cleaner since then and I haven’t had to think as much,” Harris said.

Another major positive came on Wednesday night in a 1–0 win over the White Sox, when rookie Hurston Waldrep etched his name into the MLB history books alongside Fernando Valenzuela.

“Hurston Waldrep of the Braves is the second MLB rookie in the modern era to earn the win in each of his first 4 appearances of a season while allowing 1 run or fewer in each. The other was Fernando Valenzuela in 1981,” OptaStats posted.

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It’s a huge accomplishment for Waldrep, who has looked like a completely different pitcher on the mound this year. While his early career raised concerns, a significant stretch in Triple-A appears to have helped him settle in. Now, he looks confident, composed, and ready for the big stage. Waldrep is shaping up to be a key part of the Braves’ future — and he seems more than capable of becoming a cornerstone of their starting rotation.

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