Braves Talk - May 13
The Braves pitching staff could be really good once the season begins, especially if we go on what we saw before spring training was cancelled.
Four relievers – Mark Melancon, Chris Martin, Darren O’Day and Luke Jackson – did not give up an earned run in their Grapefruit League games.
Reliever Will Smith had an ERA of 1.69 in his five games. Shane Greene was the only reliever who had a troubled spring, posting an 8.10 ERA in his six games. But Greene had done better in his final two appearances.
Others were making a case for an appearance at some point in 2020 who made a positive impression. Philip Pfeifer had a 1.23 ERA in seven games, with two walks and 10 strikeouts in 7.1 innings. While he’s a starting pitcher, Tucker Davidson is someone we could see in a relief role, as well. He had a 1.42 ERA in his five games.
Touki Toussaint showed he deserves a spot on the roster if he keeps up what he did in the Grapefruit League. Toussaint had a 2.08 ERA in three games, with three walks and eight strikeouts in 8.2 innings.
The Braves are going to have a lot of great pitchers available for any truncated season. That could be a huge advantage, especially in the postseason.
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