Mike Foltynewicz is scheduled to make his first start Saturday since his demotion to Triple-A Gwinnett. The right-hander was optioned to the minors last weekend.
Foltynewicz, 27, will try to recapture the formula that made him a 2018 All-Star. He had a 6.37 ERA in 11 starts, capped off by an eight-run meltdown in Washington.
Foltynewicz put everything together last season, when he had a 2.85 ERA and collected over 200 strikeouts. He realized the rich potential the Braves saw when they acquired him from Houston in 2015.
This season was a regression to his pre-2018 form. Foltynewicz struggled to control his emotions and couldn’t get the swings and misses that made him so dangerous a year ago. It didn’t help that a bone spur ruined his spring training.
His task in Triple-A will be to try to rediscover the strides he made. And the Braves, who are again in the mix for a postseason berth, would welcome a return to All-Star form if he does.