Atlanta Braves bullpen is alright, and there’s still more to come
By Tyler Wilson
The Braves’ bullpen was a HUGE question heading into the 2017 season, with no one really knowing what to expect. Several guys were somewhat unproven to start the year, but after a slow-starting April and a pretty nice May, this ‘pen certainly isn’t going to be the Braves’ biggest issue moving forward.
It’s no secret that the Atlanta Braves‘ rotation hasn’t been near what we wanted it to be to start the season. Their collective 4.87 ERA is abysmal, but thankfully, the bullpen has been able to help keep the team somewhat near the .500 mark.
Jose Ramirez and Arodys Vizcaino have been anchors for this bullpen, leading the team with 23 relief appearances apiece, and posting 1.99 and 2.11 ERA’s respectively.
While Ian Krol and recently called up Matt Wisler reside in the bullpen despite struggles, the rest of the current Atlanta relieving corps have all proven their worth to the team.
The Braves currently have 5 relievers with an ERA under 2.20. Two guys included (Luke Jackson & Sam Freeman) have 9 or fewer innings pitched, but have still been excellent despite a small sample size for the year.
The numbers don’t lie
We’re two full months into the MLB season now, and after a weird April, the Atlanta Braves’ relievers have positioned themselves among the top bullpens in the National League.
Braves relief pitchers rank in the top 5 in walks (63), BA (.229), OBP (.306), OPS (.686), and WHIP (1.23).
These numbers are a result of a very impressive month of May from the bullpen. Omitting Josh Collmenter‘s 7-run 10th inning against the Pirates, the bullpen has been excellent, putting up a 3.19 ERA with just eight home runs, and 83 strikeouts versus just 70 hits. Any time opposing batters are striking out more than they’re hitting, you’re doing something right.
Acquisitions have been the key
Braves’ GM John Coppolella went out and got three bullpen arms for the 2017 season, and so far, they’ve all been key contributors to the ‘pen’s success.
The veteran, Jason Motte, has a 1.38 ERA in 14 relief appearances this year. Motte was signed as a free agent just a few games into the season, when it was already clear that Braves starters were going to need help finishing games.
Sam Freeman, the other free agent acquisition, is proving to be just as effective, posting an identical 1.38 ERA in 13 innings of relief for the Bravos. The Braves tested Freeman in Gwinnett, where the 30-year-old allowed just one earned run in his 9 appearances.
Coppy also got Luke Jackson from the Rangers back in December. Jackson has only pitched in 8 games so far this season, but his 1.93 ERA and sub-1.000 WHIP are good signs early on.
But wait, there’s more!
The Braves have two gems sitting in AAA Gwinnett’s bullpen in Mauricio Cabrera and Akeel Morris. Both will be with the team at some point this year, for sure.
Cabrera, just 23, has been known to touch 103 MPH with his fastball, and regularly sees triple digits on the radar gun. This alone intimidates even the most fearsome hitters. Braves fans may remember Cabrera from his call-up last year. He shined in 41 appearances with a 2.82 ERA, and picked up 6 saves for Atlanta.
Morris, on the other hand, has only pitched in one MLB game with the Mets in 2015, in which he gave up 5 runs in just two-thirds of an inning. Don’t let that put a damper on his career 2.76 ERA in the minors, along with an impressive 12.0 K/9. He’ll walk a few guys, but Morris has done a great job of keeping opponents’ bats off of the baseball, which is what the Atlanta Braves want.
Bye-bye!
With the calling up of one, if not two relievers in the next couple of months, the Atlanta Braves obviously have to make room for them on the MLB roster.
The first guy that has to go is Ian Krol. He’s given up 15 hits and walked 14 batters in 20 innings, and you just can’t put that many guys on base in the MLB, and his 6.30 ERA agrees.
If a second guy has to go, my money’s on Matt Wisler. He was recently called up in a panic effort to get rid of Josh Collmenter after Collmenter’s seven run effort against Pittsburgh in extra-innings a week ago. Wisler just isn’t a reliever, and I honestly don’t see much of a future for him with the Atlanta Braves at all.
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The Atlanta Braves’ bullpen will only get better with time, and fans should be as excited about the young arms as I am. Vizcaino and Ramirez are just the first of several successful products of the Braves’ arms race.