Three Cuts: Braves continue embracing youth movement with return of Foltynewicz
Taking three cuts after a week in which the Braves avoided their second nine-game skid of the season, won in both Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, and survived a transaction miscue that left them down a player.
Embrace the youth movement.
After Sunday's win, manager Fredi Gonzalez announced what seemed to be the worst kept secret surrounding this team: Mike Foltynewicz will make his return to the rotation in Monday's opener in Citi Field against the Mets.
Gonzalez noted that Foltynewicz will be followed by Matt Wisler and Jhoulys Chacin, making it appears that Bud Norris (and his 10.91 ERA over his last four starts) is the odd man out. With the 31-year-old gone and Foltynewicz, 24, coming in, it only deeps the Braves' push to the majors' youngest rotation.
Julio Teheran's start at Wrigley Field was the Braves' MLB-leading 33rd by a pitcher 25 or younger, and with a rotation of Foltynewicz, Matt Wisler (23), Aaron Blair (23), Chacin is the old man at 28. Given his recent issues -- Chacin has given up a combined eight earned runs over his last three starts -- there is the potential Atlanta could get even younger as Tyrell Jenkins (23) has a 1.71 ERA in four starts at Triple-A Gwinnett.
Foltynewicz had a 2.06 ERA in four starts with Triple-A Gwinnett, and has just one outing in which he's yielded more than one run. He was 4-6 in 15 starts for the Braves last season, striking out 77 in 86 2/3 innings, but his first season in Atlanta was cut short due to blood clots in his right arm, and would later have surgery to remove half a rib.
He figures to have his hands full against the Mets, who have won 13 of 15 and eight in a row. They're also coming off a month in which they hit 33 home runs, and a year ago, Foltynewicz gave up two vs. New York in his lone start against them.
Nonetheless, the Braves' retooling is defined by its pitching, as that represents 13 of the top 20 in FOXSportsSouth.com's composite rankings. Bringing Foltynewicz back to Atlanta further puts that depth on display, a move that anyone who has watched this rebuild happen should be excited for.
Teheran had his critics over the first month of the season. With Shelby Miller now a Diamondback, there was even more of an emphasis put on the right-hander to establish himself as a true No. 1, and through four starts, he had chased the good (two earned runs on April 4 vs. the Nationals) with the bad (four ER against the Cardinals on April 9 and six more on the 14th vs. Washington).
But he has posted three straight strong starts, yielding just two runs in 5 1/3 on the 20th against the Dodgers, one run over seven innings with eight strikeouts last Monday vs. the Red Sox, and then delivered arguably his best outing of the season on Sunday in the 4-3 win over the Cubs. Teheran threw seven scoreless innings, giving up just two hits and fanning a season-high nine with one walk.
"I think his command of his fastball, I really do," Gonzalez said of the difference in Teheran of late. "He's pitched ahead."
While he's improved, so too has Freddie Freeman.
There were concerns over the two-time All-Star's wrist as he opened the season 2 for 25 through the first nine games, and his words to reporters April 29 -- "You never want to talk about the wrist going into a season, but it's always in the back of your mind." -- made it seem as if he was worried as well.
He went 0-for-3 with a walk Sunday, but in the last six games Freeman is hitting .454 with two home runs, a double and three walks. His season average sits at .250, underscoring how big a hole Freeman had to dig himself out of after sitting at .080 when he was benched in Washington on April 14, but he's responded.
The Braves are only going to be as strong as Teheran and Freeman allow them to be as their two top current talents on the roster. That duo starts May looking much more like the players this franchise needs them to be.
New general manager John Coppolella was clear in one of his major offseason priorities: fixing the bullpen. In 2015, Atlanta's relievers were responsible for 29 losses, the third highest in the National League and seventh most overall. That unit also had a collective 4.69 ERA, just a tick below the Rockies' 4.70 for the worst in the majors.
Health and cohesiveness were major culprits -- with Jason Grilli's Achilles injury and Jim Johnson being traded playing their parts -- as 33 different players took the mound in relief during the 95-loss season.
With Grilli healthy, Johnson back on the roster and Arodys Vizcaino returning after a posting a 1.60 ERA and nine saves in 33 2/3 innings, the believe among the Braves brain trust was this group would be better in '16
It hasn't happened. Granted, there have been moments, with Johnson not allowing a run through seven innings over seven games April 15-28, Vizcaino with a flawless ERA through his first eight games and seven innings, rookie Hunter Cervenka emerging as a solid left-handed option (he has yet to allow a run) and Alexi Ogando has been solid (2.08 ERA in 13 innings).
But only three teams (Cincinnati, San Diego and Colorado) have higher bullpen ERA's than the Braves' 5.10 as Johnson's ERA now sits at 7.15, Vizcaino has been tagged for runs in back-to-back starts (including an unearned run Sunday in Chicago), and while Grilli's ERA sits at 6.00.
The group's issues loomed large in Chicago, as on Friday, Chris Withrow (who would be optioned to Triple-A) gave up a go-ahead grand slam to Matt Szczur and Sunday, Sunday, Teheran was denied the win with Vizcaino allowing Addison Russell an RBI single in the ninth one batter after the right-hander made a throwing error.
Follow Cory McCartney on Twitter @coryjmccartney and Facebook. His book, 'Tales from the Atlanta Braves Dugout: A Collection of the Greatest Braves Stories Ever Told,' is out now, and 'The Heisman Trophy: The Story of an American Icon and Its Winners' will be released Nov. 1, 2016.
