The good Lucas Sims showed up Monday at Coolray Field, even if the box score doesn’t show it.
Following a one-inning rehab start for Arodys Vizcaino, Sims stepped in to throw six innings of three-hit, three run ball in the G-Braves’ 8-4 loss to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
Sims matched his career-high with 11 strikeouts, falling one shy of the team record. He threw 102 pitches, 64 for strikes, and set down the final eight hitters he faced.
Sims was hurt most in the fifth, when the IronPigs tagged him for three runs, highlighted by shortstop J.P. Crawford’s two-run shot.
“I thought it went alright,” Sims said. “I had some pitches in the fifth inning that I have to execute better.”
Because he technically entered as a reliever, Sims set the G-Braves strikeout record for bullpen arms, passing seven strikeouts (previously done four times).
It was Sims’ best outing since throwing eight shutout innings against Charlotte on June 10.
The Lawrenceville product, on the cusp of tasting his first major league action, has been a bit Jekyll and Hyde for Gwinnett. After starting the year on a tear, he’s cooled off to a 4.01 ERA.
Before Monday, Sims allowed at least three earned runs in eight of his last 10 starts after surrendering that many just once in his first seven outings. He leads Gwinnett in quality starts, but the dominance over Triple-A competition just hasn’t consistently been there in June and July.
Sims, 23, is ranked the Braves’ No. 18 prospect, according to MLB.com.
Entering Monday’s start, Sims was excelling against right-handed hitters, holding them to a .180 average. Lefties were hitting him at a .282 clip, and the left-handed hitting Crawford struck him Monday.
“I thought I threw a decent pitch,” Sims said. “I went back and looked at some video and I had been beating him with fastballs. I threw a changeup, had some good action, it just stayed in the middle and he put a nice swing on it.”
Home runs are a glaring weakness in Sims’ game, and perhaps the main reason he’s yet to taste the bigs. Sims has allowed 19 homers, second most in the International League. He’s given up a home run in each of his last five starts, including allowing four on June 16.
“It’s annoying,” Sims said of being prone to the long ball. “Most of them are just middle (of the plate). Bad pitches, behind in the count.”
There are encouraging numbers. Sims leads the International League in strikeouts (115). His 1.17 WHIP is fifth in the league. He’s tossed 103.1 innings, placing him third on the leaderboard.
But unlike his former teammate Sean Newcomb, the inability to keep the ball in the park overrides his impressive strikeout numbers. Newcomb had control issues that don’t plague Sims, but he rarely gave up homers – just seven in his last 197.2 minor league innings.
Sims has walked 32 hitters over 103.1 innings, as opposed to Newcomb walking 33 in just 57.2 innings before his promotion. Newcomb’s control has vastly better in the majors, but expecting Sims’ home run rates to improve at SunTrust Park isn’t an idea on which the Braves will pin their hopes.
With the trade deadline approaching and September callups around the corner, Sims’ long-awaited day in the spotlight may not be too far off.
“I’m not worried about it so much,” Sims said. “I know I can pitch up there. And I know I’m ready. It’s just a matter of time.”
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