Young Didier Fuentes shows reason for excitement in MLB debut, but Braves lose

This was a spot start for Fuentes, an opportunity for the Braves to align their rotation — their best starters will pitch next week in New York against the Mets — and to see the emerging Fuentes against major-league hitters.

Fuentes allowed four runs on six hits across five innings with much of the damage coming on Rookie of The Year candidate Agustin Ramirez’s three-run blast in the third frame. Ramirez scooped an ill-placed curveball and sent it over the left-field wall. To Fuentes’ credit, he didn’t allow any further damage over the next two innings.

Fuentes recorded three strikeouts and walked one. His slider-curveball combo looks like it could be devastating as he sharpens it in the coming years.

“I thought he was awesome, phenomenal,” veteran catcher Sean Murphy said. “We had a couple pitches we want back, a couple mistakes that I made because I’m trying to learn him. I think there’s way more meat on the bone as far as things that he can do. We’re only scratching the surface with him. Everyone should be excited about the guy they saw tonight.”

Overall, the rookie kept the Braves within reach. He had exceeded five innings only once in nine minor-league outings, so he gave the team all it could’ve hoped from that standpoint, too.

“He went five innings, that’s what we wanted,” manager Brian Snitker said. “I thought he handled himself well. He was poised. I’ll tell you what, that fastball at the bottom of the zone is some kind of live. The secondary stuff was better than what I expected. There’s a lot of pitchability there. He didn’t seem overwhelmed by anything.”

Adding to the historic day, Fuentes’ father flew from Colombia to Miami and sat adjacent to the Braves’ dugout. He even snagged a foul ball. Fuentes said this was the first time his dad had seen him pitch since he was 14 or 15 years old in youth leagues.

“I’m eternally grateful to my dad, as well as my mom, who unfortunately couldn’t make this game,” Fuentes said. “For my dad, it was a dream to watch me pitch in any league. It could’ve been big leagues, Triple-A, Double-A, Single-A; for him, it was a dream come true to watch me pitch anywhere.”

One never knows what to expect from these surprise summons. Just over a year ago, the Braves called up the little-known Spencer Schwellenbach for a spot start. He’s now a front-line starter, one who’s making a case for an All-Star nod. He was never a top-100 prospect; nor is the latest rookie starter.

Fuentes, a native of Colombia who turned 20 a few days ago, is a bit younger than Schwellenbach was (he turned 24 two days after his MLB debut last May). But like Schwellenbach, Fuentes drew attention for his strike-throwing propensity and a lively fastball that helped produce a 48:12 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 39⅓ minor-league innings this season.

Only one of those outings came in Triple-A Gwinnett. Even the Marlins’ lineup, which is in the bottom tier by major-league standards, is a leap from what Fuentes had been opposing. His fastball averaged 96.2 mph, and he showed the dynamic stuff that’s helped him so quickly ascend the ranks.

“You look at him and where he’s at right now in a brief professional career, the makeup, how he handled everything, I was very impressed with the young man,” Snitker said.

Fuentes became the third-youngest starter to debut in Atlanta history. He was only behind Charlie Vaughan (18 years, 332 days in 1966) and Mike McQueen (19 years and 33 days in 1969). He was the first 20-year-old to start for the Braves since Michael Soroka debuted in 2018 (at 20 years and 270 days).

While this was only one opportunity for Fuentes, he could have others, likely under similar conditions, as the summer progresses. Friday could’ve also functioned as a showcase of sorts, allowing other teams to see Fuentes’ upside against a major-league lineup. But it’s evident Fuentes has a lot with which to build. And the Braves’ patience and development could see big dividends.

“The maturity stood out,” Murphy said. “There’s a lot of meat on the bone. There are some things we’re going to learn about him, some things he’s going to evolve. He’s only 20, so we’ll see where he’s at as he keeps going.”

Unfortunately for Fuentes and his team, there wasn’t much room for error. The Braves’ offense, which showed so much liveliness during a sweep of the Mets, couldn’t muster much off Jansen Junk and four Marlins relievers.

Friday’s result was the Braves’ third loss in the past 10 games. The team needs to win the next two games to earn its fourth consecutive series win. But if the Braves were going to lose one in South Florida, Friday was conceivable given the circumstances.

It appeared to be a tricky situation coming into the weekend. This three-game series against a poor Marlins team at its lethargic stadium is sandwiched between seven games against the Mets, a rival whom the Braves are chasing in the playoff race.

Grant Holmes (3-6, 3.97 ERA), coming off his 15-strikeout performance, will start Saturday against young promising Marlins righty Eury Perez (0-1, 6.43).