How Atlanta Braves Can Improve Bullpen Right Now

The Atlanta Braves have exceeded expert expectations with an impressive offense so far. A struggling bullpen puts their momentum at risk.

A month into the season, the Atlanta Braves’ offense is among the league’s best. Ozzie Albies’ nine home runs leads the team while Ronald Acuna shows promise in his short stint up from Gwinnett. Dansby Swanson has bounced back from a lackluster rookie season. Veterans Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis continue to be a mark of consistency in the line-up.

As reliable as the offense has been, the pitching has been equally erratic.

For the rest of the bullpen walks have been a problem. Arodys Vizcaino and Sam Freeman have been averaging just under one walk per inning. A.J Minter, who has otherwise pitched well, has ten walks in his twelve innings of work.

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Shane Carle and Dan Winkler have pitched well in their roles, with ERAs of 0.77 and 1.37 respectively and solid strike-out-to-walk ratios. The work of two men cannot overcome the inconsistency of an entire rotation, especially when as many as four or five relievers pitch every night.

These late inning opportunities have nullified the work of the starting pitching staff. While the starters are not likely to win many awards by season’s end, they have pitched well enough that the offense can put them in position to win most games by the time they get the hook.

Atlanta has the chance to make noise in the National League this season. Any success, however, is short term without a more consistent bullpen.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 29: Peter Moylan #30 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch in the sixth inning during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 29, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves won 10-1. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /

Lengthen The Game

Inconsistent relievers have less of a chance to get into a game the deeper a starter goes.

Frequently Braves starters top out at five innings, sometimes making it to six. Julio Tehran occasionally will pitch seven to eight innings when he’s throwing his best.

Pushing starters another inning or two means one to two relievers will stay on the bench.

Today’s starters, primarily those who work toward the middle/bottom of the rotation are conditioned to pitch to the six inning limit. Sabermetric analyses and fear of arm injuries has spelled the end of the seven inning starter.

Poor conditioning to pitch later in games contributes to these injuries though. Pitchers aren’t asked to go deep into games at the minor league level and managers are hesitant to push young starters at the major league level.

Exhibit A: Mike Soroka’s major league debut was stellar, his only blemish a home run to a powerhouse batter in Yoenis Cespedes. With only 80 pitches, the Brian Snitker pulled him after six innings.

While Soroka’s performance gives him confidence for his next game, he was pitching well enough that another inning of work could have maintained that confidence and saved the Braves two pitchers, on of whom left with an injury.

On a team with a struggling bullpen, a starting rotation that eats innings is almost a necessity. Until Atlanta decides to pull the trigger on mid-season trades for a reliever or two, the starting staff has to step up and make the most of what could be a historic season for the team.

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