Braves starter Ian Anderson made his third spring start Friday night in the Braves’ 4-2 win over the Twins. He allowed two runs over 4-1/3 innings, striking out nine and issuing one walk.
Anderson, 22, is right where the Braves hoped he’d be at this point in March. He threw nearly 75 pitches in his latest outing. He’s accumulated gaudy strikeout totals in his past two appearances and owns an 18:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 9-2/3 innings.
“I like where he’s at,” manager Brian Snitker said. “I think he’s been great. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular out of him. I just see a very confident young man. He’s done exactly what we thought he’d do. I don’t expect him to come in and be perfect every day. He’s still learning. But I like the way he’s throwing the ball, and I feel really confident having him.”
The right-hander is coming off a stellar rookie season. Anderson debuted during a time of desperation. The Braves’ rotation was decimated, and they needed a consistent innings-eater. Anderson, despite that added pressure, excelled from Day 1.
Anderson had a 1.95 ERA in six starts, striking out 41 in 32-1/3 innings. He was even better in October, posting a 0.96 ERA in four playoff starts. Anderson became the first pitcher in Braves history not to allow a run in three consecutive postseason starts.
Entering 2021, the Braves are counting on Anderson sustaining that level. The team added two veterans to its rotation this winter – Charlie Morton and Drew Smyly – to complement its blossoming trio of Mike Soroka, Max Fried and Anderson.
Notes from Friday:
- Soroka pitched another simulated game Friday. While the Braves aren’t sure if he’ll pitch in a spring-training game, he remains on track to return sometime early in the regular season, which would be a welcome outcome after Soroka tore his Achilles last August.
“Everything is going good,” Snitker said. “He’s throwing a sim game today. He’s right where they have him right now.”
- Left-hander Will Smith continued his outstanding exhibition season Friday. Smith notched two strikeouts in his scoreless inning, giving him eight strikeouts across four scoreless outings. Smith endured a difficult 2020, starting with testing positive for COVID-19 when summer camp began. That set him back and he never fully recovered his best form. He’s looked like his 2019 All-Star self this spring.
“He’s been really good the whole spring,” Snitker said. “The sides, the whole thing from the get-go. It’s good to get him a whole spring training.”
- In other positive bullpen developments, Nate Jones produced another flawless frame. That’s his fifth scoreless appearance in five opportunities. The 35-year-old non-roster invitee has done everything he can so far to earn a spot in the Braves’ bullpen. General manager Alex Anthopoulos discussed the bullpen Friday with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and said it will need some surprise contributors. Could Jones be one of those relievers? He’s off to a nice start.
- Non-roster invitee infielders Ehire Adrianza and Ryan Goins have impressed at the plate. Adrianza knocked a ground-rule double in the seventh that scored Goins, who’d doubled three hitters earlier. Both players should make the Braves feel better about their veteran infield depth, though they’re facing uphill climbs to make the initial roster. Adrianza, specifically, has built a strong case for himself.
“That’s good to see,” Snitker said of Adrianza. “I hope they all make it (the bench decisions) hard on us. That’d be a good thing.”
- Bryse Wilson will make his fourth spring appearance Saturday when he starts against Boston. Wilson, who’s vying for a rotation spot should Soroka be unavailable to begin the season, has allowed two runs in nine innings this spring. He pitched four scoreless innings in his previous outing, March 15 against the Twins.
