Atlanta Braves announce Mike Foltynewicz to miss start of season — what next?

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher and staff ace, Mike Foltynewicz, has been nursing a sore elbow since his first Spring start and will miss the start of the regular season.

Atlanta Braves fans and Mike Foltynewicz received bad news Monday as it was announced he would miss Opening Day.

The Braves right-hander experienced a major set back as he dealt with elbow soreness after his first Spring start. This pain is likely associated with bone spurs that have plagued the Atlanta Braves pitcher since last season.

A couple of weeks ago it was announced that Foltynewicz was scratched from his second scheduled start.

What happens next?

This news forces the Atlanta Braves organization to make some very important decisions as the regular season is set to begin in a little over two weeks. Do they start Julio Teheran on Opening Day for the sixth consecutive season? Or do they consider giving the nod to Sean Newcomb or Kevin Gausman?

Alex Anthopolous relayed that information earlier today in an interview with 680 The Fan. He explained that Foltynewicz missing the start of the season is strictly due to the fact that he had to reset his throwing program and wouldn’t have time to stretch out before Opening Day.

It’s a tough pill to swallow due to how great 2018 was for Mike Foltynewicz. He posted a 2.85 ERA across 183 innings. In that stretch, the Atlanta Braves starter won 13 games and struck out 202 batters while only allowing 58 earned runs.

This has been an extremely tough Spring Training for the Braves pitching staff. However, there is a silver lining for Atlanta Braves fans. The spring performances from Touki Toussaint, Kyle Wright, and Max Fried have been so strong that Folty’s presence may not be that missed in the first two weeks.

So, who will start on Opening Day?

I believe that Julio Teheran will be your Opening Day starter when the Braves open up the regular season with the Phillies. Since the Phillies are a right-handed heavy lineup, it would make sense for Teheran to make the start.

If this is the case, let’s hope Teheran can get passed his first inning woes from last season. Julio had a 6.97 ERA and allowed 24 earned runs in the first inning in 2018. This is a glaring problem that has to be fixed if Teheran has any hope of returning to his previous form.

The Atlanta Braves open up the regular season at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on March 28 at 3:05 PM EST. Stay tuned to www.tomahawktake.com and on Twitter @TomahawkTakeFS for updates.