Bryce Elder’s revival effort takes hit in Braves’ loss to Astros

Bryce Elder’s path to a major league starting rotation was anything but straightforward.

A fifth-round draft pick out of Texas, Elder spent less than one month with the Braves after making his debut in 2022 before the club optioned him back to Triple-A Gwinnett. Since then, he’s bounced between the two teams 13 times, being called upon to fill innings when needed.

The shuffling made it hard for Elder to establish a consistent routine, but he never complained. Instead, the 26-year-old tried to take advantage of each opportunity and showed no resentment when he found himself back in the minor league clubhouse.

And now, Elder is starting to find some stability again.

“He’s been through a lot in his career,” manager Brian Snitker said. “He’s fought a lot of adversity. He’s a really tough guy. I mean, he’s been sent out and brought back. He’s fought through some tough times, and I’ve got a lot of respect for a guy that just stays the course and fights the fight.”

Elder’s recent comeback bid took a slight hit Saturday night in the Braves’ loss to the Astros — with six runs tagged to him through 4 ⅓ innings — but the performance isn’t something the organization frets over due to Elder’s recent body of work.

His resume includes a 1.36 ERA with 21 strikeouts to just five walks over his last four starts and a three-game winning streak that was snapped with the Braves’ 6-2 loss to the Astros. Elder has emerged as a consistent starter in the club’s rotation and is making his case to stay there beyond the 2025 season.

“It’s been nice,” Elder said of his recent outings. “I think even tonight, overall, my stuff was a lot better than it was for that two-and-a-half, three months. I think I just kind of left some pitches up and paid for it.”

The months of June and July left much to be desired for the right-hander, as he posted a 8.10 ERA in nine starts — quite the contrast from Elder’s recent success. One of the driving factors behind his consistency is committing to a routine schedule. The Braves made an effort to pitch Elder every five days, something he only did once during the two-month span.

Elder experiences less soreness when pitching on five days of rest, since he throws fewer bullpens in between each start. The quicker turnaround allows him to keep a natural feel for his grip, leading to greater consistency on the mound.

“With his command, he’d rather get out there sooner than later,” Snitker said. “And it’s working for him. He’s been on a really nice streak, so we’ve done everything we could do to keep him on it.”

Finding pitchers like Elder who are willing to throw every five days is rare in the style of today’s game that favors high-velocity and low pitch counts. But Elder fits neither category.

With a fastball that topped out at 94.4 mph against the Astros — and ranks in the 14th percentile of MLB — and a ground ball percentage nearing 50%, Elder’s starts are not ones typically found in highlight reels. He much prefers the less flashier ways of recording outs, like using his sinker (42.5% of the time) and slider (35.3%) to induce ground balls. The approach earned him the categorization of a “throwback” pitcher, according to Snitker.

“He’s kind of a throwback guy a little bit,” Snitker said. “He’s not throwing to launch into spin and all that kind of stuff and velocity. Sometimes his velocity will spike, but I think it’s just naturally because he gets in sync. He’s not throwing for the iPad. He’s throwing to get results.”

Elder’s arsenal may be slightly unconventional in today’s game, but it’s proven to get results. He’s just two seasons removed from an All-Star recognition and posted an ERA below 4.00 in two of his four years with the club.

If his consistency continues, he’ll have a strong case for contributing to the organization for years to come — and not just as a fill-in.

“He’s been very, very effective against some really good lineups,” Snitker said. “The way he’s finishing, he’s going to put himself right into all of the conversations.”