Didier Fuentes Flourishing as Big League Arm in Braves Bullpen

Didier Fuentes gave the Atlanta Braves another clutch inning out of the bullpen on Friday night, helping set up the walk-off win in extras.

He pitched a scoreless inning and picked up a strikeout, working around the automatic runner on second base and a hit batter to keep the Red Sox off the board. He wasn’t originally in the plans for the night, but when they had to pivot, he was ready.

“I wanted to stay away from Didi tonight, to be honest with you,” manager Walt Weiss said. “But once we got to extra innings, we’re gonna try and win that game. So, Didi did a great job in the shutdown inning.”

For a time, it seemed like it would have made more sense to keep him down in Triple-A. He was struggling as a starter in the big leagues, and it seemed like the best approach, if he were to strictly remain a starter, was to get him more time in the minors to ensure he was ready.

Instead, the Braves opted to use him out of the bullpen. It’s not without its precedent. They used Spencer Strider, the starting pitcher Friday night, out of the bullpen when he first saw major league action.

It helped him get acclimated to the major league level, and he eventually transitioned into a mainstay in the rotation. Perhaps, the same can happen for the 20-year-old righty.

So far, he has a 1.32 ERA, a 0.59 WHIP and a .090 opponent’s average out of the bullpen this season. It’s allowed him to hone in on getting a handful of major league hitters out, but he doesn’t have to worry yet about seeing them multiple times through the order.

Fuentes has completely reinvented his arsenal since last season. He still used the four-seamer as his primary pitch, and to much improved results. However, he's swapped out the sweeper and the curveball and added in the slider. The spitter has become a pitch that's used exclusively against left-handers.

The slider notably has a 43.5% whiff rate and a 30.8% putaway rate, significantly higher than either of his other two pitches.

Batters are hitting it on the ground more, especially when pulling the ball. Balls hit off of Fuentes that are both pulled and hit in the air happen at a rate of 7.7%, one of the better rates in the majors this season, according to Baseball Savant.

The Braves, in a way, are still ensuring he’s not rushed. He’s getting extended action in the bullpen. When they feel he’s ready for a big league start, it’ll happen. Right now, what isn't broken doesn't need to be fixed.

Fuentes has also been able to help fortify an ailing bullpen. They've had to shuffle arms in and out. Key long relief options, such as Dylan Dodd, are unavailable. It could have been a more pressing situation if he hadn't been able to step into the relief role as well as he has.

Instead, he's assembling the beginnings of a strong rookie campaign that many had been waiting for.

Sign up for our free newsletter for the latest Atlanta Braves news

Add us as a preferred source on Google