Braves: Felix Hernandez passes biggest test yet, looks destined for rotation
Felix Hernandez continues to have a great spring training with the Atlanta Braves and looks like a lock for the starting rotation.
With just a little over two weeks left before Opening Day for the Atlanta Braves, it’s starting to look like Felix Hernandez is a lock to make the starting rotation out of camp.
In his biggest test of the spring so far, he lasted 5 innings against the Boston Red Sox on Monday night giving up just 1 earned run on 6 hits and 2 walks with 6 strikeouts.
There were times in the game where it was evident that King Felix didn’t have command of his pitches — and he even looked visibly frustrated on the mound. But he was able to make the adjustment and figure out a way to work out of it during the inning.
That speaks to the experience and maturity of Felix as a pitcher that he didn’t allow certain innings to unravel and he kept his team in the game.
Some Braves fans might think of this as a bad thing, but watching him on Monday reminded me a lot of Dallas Keuchel last year. Yes, he’s going to give up some hits and have runners on base, but he’s going to find a way to limit the damage and keep his team in the game.
If King Felix can do that for the Braves at the back their rotation this year for $1 million, that’s a steal.
It was his fourth start of spring training and he’s now given up just 3 earned runs in 13.2 innings on 13 hits and 5 walks with 14 strikeouts.
The strikeouts are a real surprise to me as I would be shocked if he strikes out a batter an inning during the regular season. But that’s certainly an encouraging sign.
Again, with two spots open in the rotation to start the season, it really is starting to feel like one of those spots will go to King Felix unless he just falls apart in his next two outings.
The one thing I don’t want to see, though, is him take the spot of Sean Newcomb or Kyle Wright, which is what will probably happen.
I think Newcomb and Wright have higher ceilings and are just as worthy of a spot in the rotation.
Perhaps the Braves consider a six-man rotation to start the season? I kind of doubt it, but having several starters throwing the ball well is a good problem to have.
These things always seem to work themselves out, so we’ll see what happens over the next couple of weeks.