Is Foltynewicz the Atlanta Braves future ace or flame-throwing reliever

Mike Foltynewicz has been killing it for the Atlanta Braves rotation and has essentially become the team’s ace yet some still believe he could be a deadly late-inning reliever with his high-speed stuff. So should his path continue as the rotation’s leader or should he go back to the ‘pen?

Atlanta Braves pitcher Mike Foltynewicz has made great strides in becoming a ‘pitcher’ rather than just a ‘thrower’, even lowering his ERA TWO POINTS this season from last season. Not only has his pitching control improved but his character and ability to control himself on the mound have improved as well.

Foltynewicz has notably been more mature and calm on the mound, I’ve only recalled him getting upset or showing signs of it maybe only twice so far this season. He may have had more but I’ve only noticed those, including the recent “balk” called on him.

With another up-and-down season for Julio Teheran, Foltynewicz has stepped up to become the default ace for the team and paired with Sean Newcomb as the 1-2 fire punch in the rotation. Newcomb recently went into a down period but has shown potential.

However, with the waves and waves of young arms coming up to the big leagues with many showing potential (i.e. Touki Toussaint, Kyle Wright and Mike Soroka) plus the constant rumors of the Braves window-shopping for a controllable, proven ace —or at least a good front-of-the-rotation pitcher— the rotation is getting very crowded.

Ace-In-The-Making?

For the Braves, Foltynewicz has made 93 starts in 97 games total for a 4.20 ERA. This season, he has been just about unanimously the best pitcher in the Braves rotation.

For 2018, he currently has 2.66 ERA in 28 starts and owns a 11-9 W-L record but that doesn’t tell you the many no-decisions he had that could’ve been more W’s.

Tuesday night, Foltynewicz pitched a gem against the San Francisco Giants to help the Braves continue to push away from the Philadelphia Phillies. He pitched a complete game, allowing only six hits, a walk and a run while striking out nine in the Braves 4-1 win.

Currently the rotation consists of Folty, Teheran, Kevin Gausman, Anibal Sanchez, Sean Newcomb and a open spot-start seat. That open-spot has been filled this season by Max Fried, Touki Toussaint, Kolby Allard, Luiz Gohara, Bryse Wilson, and Mike Soroka. Kyle Wright hasn’t even made a start yet and this list is already long.

We all know the Braves will eventually move some of these guys to the ‘pen or to other teams and they’ve already shown that by moving expendable guys Matt Wisler and Lucas Sims; but what about the ones that are staying?

Names that most likely will be staying are Soroka, Wright and Toussaint (after his performances) and that will be joined with other guys knocking down in the minors for 2019.

Sanchez has been a great surprise for the Braves this season but one would think he won’t be brought back in 2019, while Brandon McCarthy, who is now shut down for the year, announced he will retire after this season. The Braves will still assumingly have the group of Folty, Teheran, Newcomb, and Gausman. That puts those four guys in the rotation and leaves one more spot for others to fight over.

In National League stats, Foltynewicz’s 2.66 ERA puts him as the 4th best in all of the league and 6th in strikeouts (186, 10 per 9).

The Braves have not had a true ace in a long time, arguably since the days where they had three of them in one rotation, but Folty is making an argument for it. So do the Braves already have their much-needed ace in Foltynewicz?