Julio Teheran provided a welcome sight for the Braves on Tuesday, pitching four perfect innings with three strikeouts in a 9-1 Grapefruit League win against the Phillies at Champion Stadium.
After watching Kris Medlen walk off the field clutching his right elbow Sunday and Brandon Beachy limited to two innings Monday because of biceps tightness, the Braves were grateful to see Teheran sail through his start with 34 strikes in 49 pitches.
“That was a couple of bad days in a row,” Teheran said of the Braves’ recent pitching injuries. “I just tried to give the people something fresh, something different.”
He did that, coming through with a healthy and efficient outing. In three spring starts, Teheran has allowed six hits and one walk with eight strikeouts in nine scoreless innings.
“He had command of all his pitches,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “His whole repertoire was really good.”
Teheran said he felt ready for the season and was hopeful of being the Braves’ opening-day starter. Medlen was scheduled to start opening day, but he could be facing surgery after an MRI revealed apparent ligament damage.
“I’ve just been working and trying to command (pitches),” Teheran said. “If I’m going to pitch the first game — that’s something that I want to do, it’s my goal — I think I’m ready.”
With Beachy and Mike Minor dealing with health issues and questionable at least for first week or two of the season, Teheran seems an obvious choice for the opening-day start March 31 at Milwaukee. Last month, the 23-year-old Colombian signed a six-year, $32.4 million contract extension with a seventh-year option.
Asked about a potential opening-day starter, Gonzalez said, “I haven’t really revisited it because we’re going to have to do some maneuvering. I think here in the next couple of days we’ll do that.”
Uggla homers again: He didn't care about spring training results for most of his career because Dan Uggla said he could always count on hitting about 30 homers and driving in 90-plus runs during the season. But after struggling mightily for two seasons, he wanted to have a good spring this year and take some momentum into the season.
He homered against the Phillies for the second consecutive game Tuesday, a fifth-inning leadoff shot against right-hander Sean O’Sullivan to drive in the first run of a 9-1 Braves win at Champion Stadium.
Uggla went 2-for-3 to raise his spring average to .318 (7-for-22) with two homers, seven RBIs, six walks, eight strikeouts and a .448 on-base percentage and .591 slugging percentage. A year ago, he went 15-for-75 (.200) in spring training with two extra-base hits (both homers), six RBIs, three walks and 25 strikeouts.
“This year, it’s nice to have some results,” he said. “The way I feel and the way I’m attacking the ball and having solid at-bats, it’s different than years past. I’m not just going through the motions. I’m working on stuff.”
Heyward sizzling: After going 2-for-2 with a walk Tuesday, Braves leadoff man Jason Heyward has eight hits (including two homers) in his past 11 at-bats and a .379 average (11-for-29) and team-high three homers for the spring.
Heyward led off the sixth inning with a single, and third-base prospect Edward Salcedo followed with a two-run homer to fuel a five-run inning that included a two-run triple by Jordan Schafer.
The Phillies didn’t have a hit until Kevin Frandsen’s RBI single in the seventh inning off Craig Kimbrel, who walked two.
Pitching updates: Minor, who was shut down for about a week because of shoulder soreness at the beginning of camp, has thrown three bullpen sessions in the past week, but hasn't faced hitters in batting practice. He could pitch in in his first game within a week, but it's uncertain if he'll have enough time to be ready by April 12, the first time the Braves will need a fifth starter.
- Beachy was to have further tests performed, but the Braves and the pitcher agree that his biceps tightness and inflammation was probably routine-type side effects coming back from surgery. He had an arthroscopic procedure in September, his second elbow surgery in 15 months.
- Gavin Floyd, progressing smoothly in his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery in May 2013, has faced hitters and could pitch in a minor league game in the next couple of weeks. The Braves think he could join the rotation by early May.
