When will we see Didier Fuentes in the majors (again)?

TL;DR

Didier Fuentes has been held back from his Gwinnett appearance, raising questions about his potential return to the majors. The Atlanta Braves may use him for load management or wait for a longer-term rotation spot.

Key points

Didier Fuentes was scratched from his Gwinnett appearance.
The Braves may use Fuentes for load management.
No obvious easy starts for the Braves in the near future.

Didier FuentesAtlanta BravesKansas City Royals

ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 29: Didier Fuentes #72 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the sixth inning during the game against the Kansas City Royals at Truist Park on March 29, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images Or, I guess, more to the point — *why* will we see Didier Fuentes in the majors (again)? Fuentes was scratched from his Gwinnett appearance at one point last week, prompting these two missives from Mark Bowman: At this point, I assume that when a load management opportunity presents itself, the Braves will take it. But, that hasn’t been the case so far, which has been a pleasant surprise (among many) in the early going. So, I guess the question is whether we *will* see Fuentes up relatively soon to give everyone else a breather, or whether the Braves will ultimately wait until a spot in the rotation opens up longer-term. J.R. Ritchie is also out there and could fulfill the same purpose, more or less — though Fuentes is the one that’s being held back for flexibility’s sake. It’s worth noting that the Braves don’t have any obvious “easy” starts for quite a while. Sure, they play the Rockies to start May, but those games are at Coors Field. Maybe if the Tigers continue to slumber offensively, the series right before Coors, which has an off day before it, is a chance to give everyone what is effectively two days of a break. Anyway, we’ll see — but when do you think Fuentes makes his debut, and why?

Q&A

When is Didier Fuentes expected to return to the majors?

There is no specific date for Didier Fuentes' return to the majors, but he may be called up when the Braves need to manage player workloads.

Why was Didier Fuentes scratched from his Gwinnett appearance?

Didier Fuentes was scratched from his Gwinnett appearance to provide flexibility for the Braves' pitching rotation.

What factors influence Didier Fuentes' call-up to the Atlanta Braves?

Factors include the Braves' current rotation needs, upcoming matchups, and opportunities for load management.