Kyle Wright and the Braves feel he’s making progress, but with the team’s rotation as weak as it is, progress might not be good enough in the immediate future.
The Marlins homered three times off Wright, defeating the Braves 8-0 Tuesday at Truist Park. It was the second divisional series loss this season for the Braves, who are at risk of being swept in a three-game series for the first time Wednesday.
In his first start since Aug. 14, Wright allowed five runs on seven hits over four innings. He walked two, which was the lowest total of his five outings, but gave up a bevy of hard hits.
“I threw a lot of two-seamers today, which is something I worked on a lot (while at the alternate training site in Gwinnett),” Wright said. "I thought my fastball was really good today. Just didn’t really have a great feel for my slider in particular, which is usually my go-to put-away pitch.
“I was forced to throw a lot of fastballs and they were able to stay on that pitch. I’m happy with the way my fastball was but you have to have more off-speed than I did today. The change-up was better but I still yanked a few more than I liked. I really just didn’t have my slider. But the fastball was good, so that’s something to build off.”
Former Brave Matt Joyce and Jorge Alfaro hit solo homers off Wright’s slider, giving the Marlins a two-run lead through three innings before they broke it open in the fourth. Wright’s slider has been less effective this year, which is one reason he’s struggled to pitch even into the middle innings.
To start the fourth, Wright walked Brian Anderson, setting up Garrett Cooper’s two-run homer. The Marlins drew another walk, stole two bases and tacked on another run in what would be Wright’s last frame.
The Braves came away encouraged, finding the silver linings in Wright’s outing, but their National League East lead shrank to 1-1/2 games over the Phillies and 2-1/2 over the Marlins with Tuesday’s loss.
“I thought (Wright made strides),” manager Brian Snitker said. “His fastball was really, really good. His sinker was really good. He didn’t get any of the mistake breaking balls back. I saw some signs of improvement.”
But with 18 games remaining in a pennant race, signs of improvement can only go so far. With few alternatives, the Braves are left hoping the positive nuggets from Tuesday yield results in Wright’s next start.
One of the team’s top prospects, the 24-year-old Wright has an 8.05 ERA over five starts. He’s pitched beyond four innings only once. He lost his rotation spot in mid-August and spent three weeks in Gwinnett, where the team said he was making progress.
They saw glimpses of that improvement Tuesday. While it wasn’t a stellar showing, Wright did show increased aggressiveness from his past starts. If his slider is better in his next appearance, perhaps he’ll see the desired numbers.
“It’s really frustrating because I know it’s there, I know I have the stuff, I know I’m good enough,” Wright said. “I just have to piece it all together. It’s there. It’s really close. I know I’m close. I just have to get over that little hump and then I can take off. I definitely feel like I’m getting closer to where I want to be.”
Credit: Atlanta Braves
Notes from Tuesday:
- The Marlins' young budding ace Sixto Sanchez was magnificent. Sanchez held the Braves to three hits over six scoreless innings, striking out six and walking just one. Despite two lead-off hits, the Braves never got a runner to second in his six frames.
“If he stays healthy, he’s going to give people fits for a long time,” Snitker said of Sanchez. “Man, he’s the total package right there. Good pace, throws strikes – a lot of strikes. He can go get more when he wants. There’s a lot to like right there.”
- First baseman Freddie Freeman had two of the Braves' four hits. Marcell Ozuna and Austin Riley had the others. Rarely has the Braves' top two of Ronald Acuna and Dansby Swanson struggled as it did Tuesday. The two combined to go 0-for-7 with five strikeouts.
- Right-hander Jacob Webb, who was reinstated from the 45-day injured list earlier in the day, pitched the last two innings. He allowed two runs (none earned) on two hits and struck out three.
A healthy Webb further strengthens the Braves' bullpen. As a rookie last season, Webb had a 1.39 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 36 appearances.
- Tommy Milone will make his third start for the Braves as they try to avoid the sweep Wednesday. The Braves were 22-6 against the Marlins at Truist Park (since 2017) before losing the first two of this series. They’re 2-3 against Miami this season after going 15-4 against the Marlins in 2019.
