ATLANTA (AP) 鈥� The Atlanta Braves optioned right-hander Owen Murphy to Triple-A Gwinnett and selected the contract of veteran right-hander Elieser Hern谩ndez before Sunday’s game against the Texas Rangers.
Murphy, 22, allowed three runs, two earned, in 2 2/3 innings in Saturday’s to the Rangers in his first major league start.
Braves manager Walt Weiss said Murphy 鈥渢hrew fine鈥� but 鈥渓eft some pitches over the plate. It was more about execution than anything else.鈥�
Hern谩ndez, 31, last pitched in the majors in 2024, when he compiled a combined 6.32 ERA in nine games for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers. In six seasons, Hern谩ndez is 10-22 with a 5.10 ERA in 99 games, including 49 starts.
Weiss acknowledged the Braves have some important decisions to make regarding their pitching staff before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Left-hander Mart铆n P茅rez, who has been on the injured list since July 6 with a left forearm contusion, threw in the bullpen on Sunday. Right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver may be close to completing his rehabilitation following right elbow surgery.
Weiss said Saturday that P茅rez 鈥渋s on the radar鈥� and close to coming off the IL. Weiss said Smith Shawver 鈥渨ill be in the conversation鈥� after throwing 4 1/3 scoreless innings in his last start for Gwinnett.
鈥淲e need to take a step forward with our starting pitching,鈥� Weiss said. 鈥淭he guys have done it. They鈥檝e been good this year, especially early on for a few months. So it鈥檚 certainly in there. But yeah, we鈥檝e got to put together some good starts.鈥�
The Braves’ lineup also could receive a boost within a few days. Ronald Acu帽a Jr. (strained left hamstring) could be close to coming off the injured list as he continues his rehab at Gwinnett.
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