JR Ritchie's return to the mound after recovering from Tommy John surgery went about as good as he could have hoped with the Atlanta Braves' Single-A affiliate August GreenJackets.
Ritchie captured Carolina League pitcher of the week honors after allowing no hits in five innings while recording seven strikeouts in a win against Fayetteville on July 12. It was Ritchie's first appearance and start of the season.
"It's been a long 14 months for me," Ritchie said in a video interview posted on the team's YouTube channel. "I'm excited to be back pitching again."
The Braves' 35th overall pick in the Major League Baseball draft in 2022 out of Bainbridge Island, Ritchie missed more than a year of action after undergoing Tommy John surgery in the spring of 2023.