Former Braves pitcher Julio Teheran announces retirement
Long-time Braves starting pitcher Julio Teheran announced his retirement Monday. Teheran, 35, pitched nine seasons for the Braves from 2011 through 2019.
Teheran, who didn’t pitch in MLB last season, is with his native Colombia in the World Baseball Classic this month. He was scratched from his latest scheduled start due to shoulder discomfort.
The right-hander was once the Braves’ top prospect and among the most highly touted youngsters in baseball, which led to him debuting at age 20 in 2011.
He became a two-time All-Star and a reliable innings eater over the years. He made 30 starts and pitched over 174 innings in each of his final seven seasons with the Braves, producing a 3.64 ERA in 222 starts over that span.
He started six consecutive opening days (2014-19), which tied Warren Spahn for the franchise record. Only Spahn (10), Phil Niekro (eight) and Greg Maddux (seven) have made more such starts for the Braves.
Teheran contributed to four playoff teams over his Braves tenure. His finest season came in 2014 when he had a 2.89 ERA with 186 strikeouts against 51 walks over 33 starts.
His Braves career bridged eras: In his rookie campaign, he had teammates such as Chipper Jones, Martin Prado, Jason Heyward and David Ross. In his final season with the club – 2019 – he played with Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley. He was teammates with future Hall of Famer Freddie Freeman throughout his entire Braves tenure.
The Braves declined their $12 million team option on Teheran following the 2019 campaign, and he left in free agency. He spent time with the Angels (2020), Tigers (2021), Brewers (2023) and Mets (2024), as well as pitching in Mexico, over the ensuing years.
Overall, Teheran accumulated 20.4 bWAR in 13 seasons. He retires with an 81-82 record and 3.85 ERA across 255 outings (248 starts).
About the Author
Gabriel Burns is a general assignment reporter and features writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After four years on the Braves beat, he's expanded his horizons and covers all sports. You'll find him writing about MLB, NFL, NBA, college football and other Atlanta-centric happenings.
