Atlanta Braves: Tucker Davidson Getting His Shot in the Rotation

With Spencer Strider’s role in the bullpen solidified, it looks like Tucker Davidson will get a shot to stick in the Atlanta Braves starting rotation. 

The Atlanta Braves have had several off days over the past few weeks that have allowed the to skip the fifth spot in their starting rotation.

That will come to an end on Tuesday as the Braves will need a fifth starter. Many thought Spencer Strider could finally get a chance, but with a short bullpen on Monday because of the high leverage use in the past two games — plus with Tyler Matzek landing on the IL — Brian Snitker had to go to Strider in a tight game.

With that, a door has been opened for Tucker Davidson.

Braves Starting Rotation — Tucker Davidson Gets His Chance

Tucker Davidson, a 26-year-old lefty, had a chance out of Spring Training to earn a spot in the rotation, but despite solid numbers, he wasn’t given that opportunity then.

He did get a relief appearance against the Nationals before getting sent back down, and that did not go well.

Last year he made four starts for the Braves in the regular season and looked solid before landing on the IL with forearm tightness.

In his first three starts last year before the injury he allowed just 3 earned runs on 10 hits and 7 BB with 14 strikeouts in 17.2 innings.

He recovered just before the end of the regular season and even made an appearance in Game 5 of the World Series after Charlie Morton went down.

However, that didn’t go well as he was handed a 4-0 lead after a first-inning grand slam by Adam Duvall and then quickly let that slip as away as he wasn’t able to make it through the third inning.

And he got off to a bit of rough start at Gwinnett this year, which could be due to the lack of Spring Training and then sitting in the Braves bullpen for a week.

He’s been much better recently going at least 5 innings in his last three starts and allowing 5 hits or less in each of them.

His last time out was on May 11 when he gave up just 1 earned run on 4 hits with no walks and 6 strikeouts over 5 innings.

The key with Davidson, as with many young pitchers trying to make the transition the big leagues, is commnd. During his brief time in the big leagues, he has a BB/9 of 6.8.

Over six minor league seasons, that number is 3.3, and it’s actually been better than that during the last two years with Gwinnett at 2.0 in 2021 and 3.1 this year.

Davidson primarily throws a four-seam fastball in the mid-90s and pairs that with a slider in the high-80s. He’ll also mix ina curveball at around 78 MPH.

Last year that slider was really successful for him as batters hit just .118 on 25 sliders put in play off Davidson.

As good as his slider is, the key will be the development of that curveball and if it’s enough to get hitters off his 93-94 MPH fastball.

When you’re not throwing upper 90s, it’s a lot easier for hitters to adjust from the slider when the speed differential is only 5-6 MPH.

Davidson has some great curveball teachers that he can learn from in Max Fried, Charlie Morton, and Kyle Wright.

The key for him will be limiting his walks back to a range that is more in line with his minor league numbers and developing that curveball to keep hitters off his fastball.

There is an opportunity here for Davidson if he can repeat the success he had in those three starts last year and continue to develop.