SAN DIEGO – Max Fried perfectly described Dylan Lee.
“I kind of say Dylan’s had some of the most boring innings that you can,” Fried said. “I feel like it’s eight pitches with a strikeout, three up, three down, and he walks off the mound and you’re kind of like, ‘Oh, his inning’s over?’ But it just kind of shows how good he is. He attacks and he’s super aggressive in the zone, and guys have a tough time hitting him.”
This – particularly the part about boring innings – is probably the best compliment one pitcher, especially an ace like Fried, can give another. But it’s true.
On the mound, Lee is boring – in the best way.
You have to dig all the way back to Sept. 6 of last season to find the last time Lee allowed a run in the regular season. Since then, he has thrown 21 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings. He is consistent while performing a role, relief pitching, that often involves volatility.
“You don’t let (things) get too high or too low,” Lee said. “I mean, things happen – it’s baseball. There’s hits that are happening, there’s home runs, there’s strikeouts, but you can’t get too high or too low because you have to be ready to throw the next day.”
To this point, opponents are batting .103 versus Lee over his nine scoreless frames this season. He has struck out 10 batters while walking only two. His chase rate – how often opponents swing at pitches outside of the zone – is in the 98th percentile in the sport, according to Baseball Savant.
Lee primarily uses a four-seam fastball and a slider. He developed the slider when he played in the Marlins organization. One time, Lee and a Marlins buddy were throwing the football, and the friend showed Lee how to place his fingers on the football, as if he were throwing a slider. Then Lee began letting it rip, seeing the movement on the ball as he did it the new way.
For Lee, the slider began to click in 2021. It felt even better in 2022.
“Just consistency, working on it, throwing it every day and making sure I can repeat it,” Lee said of honing that slider.
Last season, opponents hit .211 versus that pitch. They are batting .143 against the offering this year.
Meanwhile, Lee has become one of Atlanta’s most reliable relievers.
“He comes in and doesn’t say a whole lot, just comes to work and gets outs,” Austin Riley said. “That’s all you can ask for, and it’s been nice to see.”
Lee’s story is heartwarming: A couple years ago, the Marlins released Lee at the end of spring training. The Braves took a chance on him, and he has blossomed. He isn’t their closer, but he’s a valuable – and more importantly, reliable – part of a deep bullpen.
“There’s a lot of guys like that,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “You just never know where they’re going to land, when they’re gonna get a hold of things, and get the opportunity. Mainly, it’s just getting that opportunity and being able to do something with it, and hat’s off to guys like that that get that opportunity and take advantage of it.”
He knew this would happen if someone just gave him a shot right?
“Well, I didn’t know,” Lee said. “You don’t know until you do it.”
And now he’s done it.
Collin McHugh has first rehab outing
Collin McHugh (right shoulder inflammation) pitched for High-A Rome on Tuesday as he began a rehab assignment.
McHugh threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings. He struck out two batters and walked another. He allowed only one hit.
On Monday, Snitker said the Braves didn’t know how many rehab outings McHugh might need.
Braves claim outfielder
The Braves on Tuesday announced they claimed outfielder Nick Solak off waivers from the White Sox and optioned him to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Solak last played in the majors for Texas. Over 865 career at-bats, he has hit .252 with a .700 OPS.
