If there was ever an Atlanta Braves loss that perfectly summed up the misery of this season, it was Saturday's 12-9 loss against the New York Yankees. An incredible start and offensive surge were wasted by an Atlanta pen that was bullied by the Yankees' lineup.
Still, there were a number of positive takeaways for the Braves, including the surprise emergence of a former top prospect.
Former Braves Top Prospect Joey Wentz Gives Incredible Effort in Loss
Starter Joey Wentz was selected 40th overall and instantly dealt with high expectations. After spending a bit of time in Atlanta's system, the pitcher has bounced around but ended up back with the Braves.
Atlanta is so desperate to find starting pitching that they are allowing Wentz the opportunity to stretch out at the Big-League level. The first outing was 3.0 scoreless innings that would stretch an inning further the next start, with Wentz going 4.0 scoreless against a loaded New York lineup. Striking out Aaron Judge and consistently looking in control of a great roster has Atlanta fans wondering what exactly they have in the former top prospect.
Wentz has a pretty large sample size that tells you this will end in frustration. However, 7.0 scoreless innings against two solid lineups simply cannot be overlooked. It is fair to wonder if Wentz has perhaps turned a corner after finding himself with the team that started his career. Perhaps the Braves have found much-needed production down the stretch of the 2025 season.
Regardless of the answer, Braves fans are going to get their chance to figure out exactly what Wentz's potential ceiling might be. With Sale, Schwellenbach, and Lopez nowhere near a return, the Braves have no other choice. This serves as perhaps the last opportunity for Wentz, one the pitcher has taken full advantage of in his first two starts.