Hurston Waldrep is set to make his first start of 2026 for the Braves on Thursday, July 2 against the Cardinals. It comes after a February elbow injury and only one earlier appearance this season.
He also brings a sharp number into the start: four hitters walked in two innings in his return. The Braves are still giving him the ball anyway, which makes the pitch count and the first few innings the part that matters most for what follows.
Waldrep Returns Against Cardinals
Waldrep had not started since late September last year. Before the injury, he was touching speeds upward of 99 MPH, then loose bodies were discovered in his elbow in February.
That is the backdrop for Thursday’s 7:15 pm EDT start. The Braves are asking for a cleaner line than the last outing, and they are doing it with a pitcher who has reached this point after a long interruption rather than a normal build-up.
Dustin May Brings Mixed Form
Dustin May will start for the Cardinals, and his season has swung between shutdown work and damage. He has a 4.30 ERA over fifteen starts and 83.2 innings pitched.
On June 15, he threw a complete game shutout against the Padres. In his last start against the Royals, he lasted 2.0 innings and gave up six hits, two home runs, six earned runs, and a walk with two strikeouts. He also has three starts in which he gave up at least six runs and did not last more than four innings, along with seven starts in which he allowed two or fewer runs.
Braves Hitters Know May
The Braves have several direct looks at May’s mix. Mike Yastrzemski has fourteen at-bats against him and a.500 average with a 1.206 OPS. Kim has seen him eleven times, Riley owns a 2.000 OPS with two home runs in five at-bats, and Smith has a home run in three at-bats.
That gives the Braves more than a simple roster choice on the mound. Waldrep’s start is a test of how much work he can handle after the February setback, while the matchup against May gives the Braves a clear read on a pitcher they have already seen enough to measure in small samples. How many pitches will Waldrep actually throw in this start?
