Mike Foltynewicz admitted the pressure got to him during a rough stretch of spring training for the Braves.
The Braves had sent away slugger Evan Gattis to the Astros for Foltynewicz, who immediately became one of the top prospects in the organization. They went into the spring with the hope that he would become the No. 5 starter. Foltynewicz, trying to live up to expectations, was pressing.
The Braves sent him to Gwinnett to start the season with the focus on improving his command and secondary pitches. Foltynewicz was called up by the Braves on Thursday to make a start against the Reds on Friday.
His Braves debut comes with the expected anticipation for a big, young, hard-throwing pitcher. Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez was trying to manage expectations so Foltynewicz won’t feel the same burden as he did in the Grapefruit League.
Gonzalez said he doesn’t want Foltynewicz to think he has to be great in his first big-league start or risk being sent back to Gwinnett. The plan is for Foltynewicz to be the No. 5 starter for the near future so his spot on the roster wasn’t hinging on his first outing.
“I am not looking him to go out and throw seven innings of shutout baseball or a complete game,” Gonzalez said before Foltynewicz’s start. “Just go out and give us a good chance to win the baseball game.”
Foltynewicz, 23, posted a 2.08 ERA in four starts for the G-Braves but only made it out of the fifth inning once. Foltynewicz lasted four innings in his first start at Gwinnett while throwing 79 pitches with 51 strikes and pitched 4 2/3 innings in his second start with 94 pitches, 55 for strikes.
Foltynewicz allowed one run and three hits over eight innings of a start on April 20 with nine strikeouts and one walk. He allowed two runs in five innings during his last start for the G-Braves on Sunday.
The Braves had seen enough to believe Foltynewicz deserves a shot to be a big-league starter now. Veteran Trevor Cahill, acquired in a trade just before the season, had struggled while posting a 8.03 ERA with a .306 opponents’ batting average in just 12 1/3 innings combined over three starts.
Cahill went to the bullpen this week and Foltynewicz got the call. He’s 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds with a fastball that’s been clocked at 100 mph. Baseball American ranks Foltynewicz as the second-best prospect for the Braves.
Gonzalez said he hopes Foltynewicz can help provide some stability to the back end of the rotation now while still growing into a larger role in the future.
“Obviously you have got to come up to the big leagues and produce,” Gonzalez said. “You can’t have a guy make five starts and only get out of the third once. He’s the type of guy that can solidify the rotation for us. Not a No. 1 or a No. 2, but he’s a guy who can develop into that down the road. He’s big, strong as an ox. “
Gonzalez said the report from Gwinnett manager Brian Snitker was that Foltynewicz’s pitch velocity stayed at about 95 mph deep into his starts. Gonzalez isn’t expecting much from the rookie at the plate, though: Foltynewicz had no plate appearances in the minor leagues or in 16 relief appearances with Houston in 2014.
“I’ll jump for joy if he gets a (sacrifice) bunt down,” Gonzalez said.
