LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Manny Banuelos was excited to start his bid for a spot in the Braves’ starting rotation with his spring debut Saturday, but the young left-hander will need to shake off the rust and ramp up his results over the next three weeks to have any chance of making the opening-day roster.
Six months after surgery to remove several bone chips from his pitching elbow, Banuelos gave up six hits and four runs in two innings of an 11-1 loss to the Washington Nationals against a lineup of mostly backups and prospects. He threw 27 strikes in 47 pitches and had one strikeout and one walk.
“I was pretty excited because I made it back,” said Banuelos, 24, coming back from his second elbow surgery in three years. “It was pretty fun to be out there again. Arm feels healthy, arm feels great. It was a little weird with my pitches; that’s how it is the first time out. Especially when you come from surgery.
“But other than that it feels good. I’m positive. Just keep working hard and get ready for my next start.”
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said, “I didn’t expect him to come in and throw two innings worth of strikeouts. But we got him out there, two innings, got his pitch count up, first time out in a long time. We’ll keep working at him and hopefully get him stretched out a little bit more.”
Banuelos was 1-4 with a 5.13 ERA in seven games (six starts) for the Braves in his first major league action last season, and the totals weren’t indicative of his overall performance. He allowed one or no earned runs in his first four games, then 13 earned runs in 9 2/3 innings over his last three games while pitching with increasing discomfort.
The season-ending surgery in September removed multiple bone chips that had formed in his elbow in the period since his return from Tommy John surgery that he had in 2012, back when he was a top Yankees prospect.
“He’s had a couple of surgeries in the last three or four years,” Gonzalez said. “I’m sure there’s some hesitation in the back of his mind. My plan for him was just get him out there, throw two innings and get his pitch count up. We’ll see how the arm reacts in next day or two and keep working forward for him to get more innings.”
The Braves believe Banuelos could be poised for big things now that he’s got a clean elbow, but he’ll need to regain his velocity and the pinpoint command he had when he was at his best last season. He needed 30 pitches to get through the first inning.
“When I was on the backfield pitching a (simulated) game, it felt pretty good,” Banuelos said of facing live hitters in controlled situations. “Tonight it was different. But like I said, just keep working hard and make my adjustment, and keep pitching.
“My timing (was inconsistent). Sometimes it took a long time for me to make the pitch, and sometimes I was quick (because of) my adrenaline. But it’ll come.”
The stadium radar gun showed most of his fastballs in the 88-89 mph range, several ticks off his peak velocity.
“I know my velocity will come back. Just keep pitching. I think I hit 89 or something like that, but I will keep working to get my velocity back. I’m pretty sure if I keep pitching it’ll come.”
The Nationals opened the game with three consecutive hits, including a two-run double by Stephen Drew. Banuelos gave up three more hits in the second inning, including doubles by Michael Taylor and Tony Campana.
