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Atlanta Braves: Three takeaways from the extra-innings loss to Arizona

By Daniel Rasmussen

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 14: Relief pitcher Jesse Biddle #66 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after getting the final out of the seventh inning during the game against the Washington Nationals at SunTrust Park on September 14, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 14: Relief pitcher Jesse Biddle #66 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after getting the final out of the seventh inning during the game against the Washington Nationals at SunTrust Park on September 14, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 11: Pitcher Kevin Gausman #45 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch during the game against the New York Mets at SunTrust Park on April 11, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 11: Pitcher Kevin Gausman #45 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch during the game against the New York Mets at SunTrust Park on April 11, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) /

The Atlanta Braves once again found themselves surrendering a multi-run lead to the Arizona Diamondbacks, as they took a painful 10-inning, 3-2 defeat on Wednesday night.

It was more of the same for an Atlanta Braves team that has had its share of struggles in holding the opposition off the scoreboard in the late innings this year.

This loss particularly hurt after what transpired the previous night, when a 5-2 advantage over the D-Backs culminated in a 9-6 loss.

In the cutthroat 2019 version of the National League East, every game carries significance, but especially those in which victory is within reach, and then lost.

Wednesday night marks the second consecutive winnable contest for the Braves that just slipped away.

While it’s easy to focus on the negatives of such a bitter outcome, Wednesday wasn’t necessarily all bad. In fact, there were some encouraging signs for the Braves’ season moving forward.

Here’s three takeaways from Wednesday night’s 3-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Kevin Gausman is making his case as one of the league’s most underrated starting pitchers.

Perhaps the greatest takeaway of Wednesday night’s game had to be the terrific performance of Atlanta’s big right-hander.

Kevin Gausman threw 7 strong innings of two-run ball, but what was more impressive was how he made it to that point.

Gausman tied a career-high with ten strikeouts (to just one walk) and just three hits allowed.

The ten punchouts were no surprise, given how effective his fastball/splitter combo looked all night.

The fastball’s velocity sat in the mid-90s (touching upper 90s), even well into his 99-pitch, 7 inning outing. The splitter’s late break and speed differential, meanwhile, was devastating at times for the Arizona hitters to deal with.

Why It Matters

This is an Atlanta Braves starting rotation that is beginning to evolve into something pretty good: young arms, like Max Fried and Touki Toussaint, are emerging as legitimate pieces, while the Mikes (Foltynewicz and Soroka) are on the way back in good health.

Tandem those latest developments with the recent work of Gausman, who – quietly – is building a reputation as one of the National League’s more underrated starters?

Watch out.

Since moving to the National League at last season’s trade deadline from Baltimore, Gausman has been the real deal.

In 2018, post-trade, he put up an impressive 2.87 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP in ten starts, serving as a key cog in helping the Braves solidify a division title.

So far in 2019? He’s allowed just 6 runs in 19.2 innings pitched, with an eye-popping 22 Ks in those three starts.

The upside of the other arms of the rotation is obvious, though Gausman’s – despite less hype – continues to develop, which is extremely encouraging for the Atlanta Braves.

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