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Atlanta Braves Recall RHP Mike Foltynewicz

By Jonathan Savitske

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The Atlanta Braves made a roster move Tuesday afternoon, recalling pitcher Mike Foltynewicz to the big-league club from AAA Gwinnett and optioning OF/IF Joey Terdoslavich, MLB.com‘s Mark Bowman reports:

The expectation is that Foltynewicz will come primarily out of the bullpen as a long-reliever for the Atlanta Braves.

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Mike Foltynewicz made his major league début with the Atlanta Braves earlier this season, but struggled throughout his first stint in the majors, accumulating a 5.19 ERA and 3-2 record in 52.0 innings pitched.

Foltynewicz’s pitching repertoire consists of a dynamic four-seam fastball which can exceed 95 MPH, a slider, a slow curve, and a change-up. There is no doubting that Foltynewicz possesses electric stuff; but he has had extensive struggles with his control at the big-league level, totaling 17 walks in 52 innings pitched.

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Base on balls have been Folty’s undoing thus far this season and his success in the bullpen hinges on his ability to control the strike-zone. He has a proclivity to become rattled when getting into trouble, and it is imperative that he maintains his command in those high stress situations.

Foltynewicz’s acquisition by Atlanta Braves came in an offseason trade that sent Evan Gattis to the Houston Astros. A top prospect within the Houston organization and a former number 1 draft pick, Foltynewicz possesses the potential to become an ace of a pitching staff.

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So far this season at AAA Gwinnett, Mike Foltynewicz has pitched well with a 3.15 ERA in 45 innings pitched. These statistics are encouraging and suggest that the Braves top prospect is beginning to put it all together, and it is only a matter of time before he will be a mainstay in the Atlanta Braves’ starting rotation.

Now that the Atlanta Braves are affording the young pitcher a second chance, Foltynewicz can make a good impression with the club and prove that he was able to learn from his mistakes that led to his demotion. There is less pressure placed on him as a member of the relief corps, and may serve to ease some of the anxiety that the young pitcher has experienced as a member of the starting rotation.

By adding Matt Wisler, Manny Banuelos, Tyrell Jenkins and Mike Foltynewicz this offseason, the Atlanta Braves future starting rotation looks quite formidable when paired with Julio Teheran, Shelby Miller and Alex Wood. With the recent success of prospects Matt Wisler and Williams Perez, Braves fans can expect that within two years, the rotation will be one of the best in baseball with this young core of talented pitchers. 

Next: Atlanta Braves 2015 All-Star Snubs

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