LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The Braves got some needed encouraging developments regarding their starting rotation from three pitchers Thursday.
Their hopes of getting Mike Foltynewicz or Manny Banuelos ready to be the fifth starter by April 12 may have increased after Foltynewicz’s spring debut and Banuelos’ second appearance.
Foltynewicz gave up a two-run homer to Ryan Zimmerman in the first inning, then retired the last four batters he faced in a two-inning stint during the Braves’ 9-7 split-squad loss to the Nationals in Viera, Fla.
Meanwhile, the in the Braves’ 5-3 split-squad loss to the Astros at Champion Stadium, Banuelos allowed one hit and two walks in three scoreless relief innings and Williams Perez started and allowed just one hit and one walk with two strikeouts in three scoreless innings.
“Perez threw the ball well,” said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, who was at the game against the Astros. “Three innings, got him stretched out. Manny did the same thing, he mixed his pitches well, commanded his fastball. They both pitched pretty well.”
For Foltynewicz, it was his first game since having September surgery to remove part of a rib after he developed blood clots in his pitching arm. Foltynewicz told a Braves trainer he felt strong and had no problems after pitching his scheduled two innings.
For Banuelos, it was his second appearance of spring training, and far better than his first when he gave up six hits and four runs in two innings against the Nationals. The left-hander had bone chips removed from his pitching elbow in September and was a little behind most Braves pitchers when camp began.
The Braves are in something close to a dire need of fourth and fifth starters to begin the season. Their closest-to-the-majors top pitching prospects have shown they’re not ready yet, and veteran non-roster invitees Kyle Kendrick and Chris Volstad struggled to such degrees that both were already released.
As of now, non-roster invitee Jhoulys Chacin and Perez appear to be leading candidates for the No. 4 spot.
The homer off Foltynewicz came after he walked Bryce Harper with one out in the first inning. The hard-throwing right-hander had one hit, one walk and one strikeout.
The most encouraging aspects for the Braves: Foltynewicz topped out at 97 mph with his fastball and looked free and easy in his delivery, as he’s looked in bullpens sessions and in two innings of simulated-game conditions March 11.
