JR Ritchie Struggles in Return as Braves Fall to Cubs 8-4

Atlanta Braves right-hander JR Ritchie struggled in his return to the majors Wednesday, allowing six earned runs on seven hits—including two home runs—and two walks with five strikeouts over 4.2 innings in an 8-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs. Recalled from Triple-A to give Chris Sale extra rest ahead of the postseason, Ritchie surrendered long balls to Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman, raising questions about his readiness and depth for the Atlanta playoff rotation as they chase a division title.