Atlanta Braves: Sean Newcomb needs to stay in the bullpen
After a couple of appearances out of the bullpen since being recalled, it has become clear that Sean Newcomb needs to stay in a relief role for the Atlanta Braves.
The Atlanta Braves sent Sean Newcomb down to the Minor Leagues for one very good reason — he couldn’t command his plus stuff.
There has never been a question about the talent of Newcomb, there have only ever been doubts about his command.
In almost 300 Minor League innings he has a BB/9 of 4.7. In a couple of those seasons he ended up with a BB/9 over five.
Back in 2017 when he made his debut with the Atlanta Braves he walked 57 batters in 100 innings.
Last season he was able to keep is command issues in check for the most part and had a BB/9 of 4.4, which was his lowest mark since his first season in professional baseball back in 2014 playing rookie and A-ball.
In his first three starts with the Atlanta Braves in 2019 he walked eight batters in 12.1 innings.
With Gwinnett, he walked four batters in his first start, totaling 12 walks in 16 innings to start his 2019 season.
Since then, he’s gone 17.2 innings without issuing a walk.
It’s still somewhat of a small sample size, but it seems like he’s starting to figure some things out and is trusting his stuff.
There is so much movement on his pitches, he just needs to learn how to control that movement within the strike zone.
He’s had stretches like this before, but hopefully it will stick this time around.
He was brilliant in his last two starts with Gwinnett, so I’m not ready to give up on him as a starter.
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But the Atlanta Braves need help in the bullpen, and from what we’ve seen so far, Newcomb could be that answer.
His stuff has really played up coming out of the bullpen, and he just looks more at ease on the mound.
I envision him being a pitcher that could work like an Andrew Miller or Josh Hader where every two or three days he comes in and shuts a team down for multiple innings.
The Atlanta Braves desperately need someone like that in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.
They may even need him in the ninth after what happened Thursday night.
Point being, Sean Newcomb can be a weapon for the Atlanta Braves this year. And if the front office is still looking for internal options, they’ve found one.