Mike Foltynewicz was almost perfect in three scoreless innings during the Braves’ scrimmage Thursday.
Foltynewicz struck out three and permitted one baserunner – a Charlie Culberson walk – as the only blemish on his initial showing. He faced a lineup that included Ronald Acuna, Marcell Ozuna, Austin Riley and Tyler Flowers, among others.
“I got to the field today, and there were some butterflies in my stomach,” Foltynewicz said, speaking with a consistent smile after his first outing. “But it wasn’t near as crazy as opening day or a game in September.”
The right-hander compared the environment with that of a pick-up game. Acuna and others were chirping throughout, which helped the energy level.
“That keeps you into it,” Foltynewicz said. “It keeps a smile on your face. … You’ll see the smack talk. It’s like a pick-up baseball game. It’s fun. It really is.”
Regarding the manufactured energy, manager Brian Snitker added: “It’s typical of this group. They’ve demonstrated over the last few years how much fun they have playing baseball.”
Foltynewicz was throwing six times a week during much of the break, he said, which is one reason he believes he was sharp in his debut. He will make two more game-like appearances before the season begins.
While Foltynewicz was sharp, opposing starter Sean Newcomb allowed a pair of homers to catchers Travis d’Arnaud and William Contreras. Newcomb is continuing his bid to rejoin the rotation after being shifted in a reliever role in 2019.
Still, Snitker said he was pleased with Newcomb’s outing, noting his improved breaking ball and how he delivered several good change-ups.
Other notes from Thursday:
» The Braves added slugging infielder Bryce Ball to their player pool. While he won't factor into the Braves' 2020 plans, his inclusion means he'll be training with other top prospects and available players at the secondary camp in Lawrenceville.
Ball, a 22nd-round pick last summer, quickly emerged as a pleasant surprise in the Braves organization. His physical build and raw power give hope he could develop into an offensive force down the road.
» Snitker praised lefty A.J. Minter, who pitched Thursday, saying his form Thursday resembled that of 2017, when the Texas A&M product looked like the Braves' future closer.
“I saw that cutter back to where it used to be,” Snitker said. “Today, I saw something like it was in ’17, when he was our closer. The big thing with him is he’s healthy again, too. He felt good in spring training, but we weren’t going to bring him with us (on the first 26-man roster) because we wanted to make sure he got back. Right now, I like where he’s at.”
The Braves already boast a deep bullpen, but having a revived Minter would add further left-handed reinforcements to their pool.
» Contreras' maturation has been encouraging, Snitker said. The young catcher is regarded as one of the system's top two backstop prospects, alongside 2019 first-round pick Shea Langeliers.
“This kid, his body looks better,” Snitker said. “I think he used this time off, obviously, to his benefit. He’s a young man that’s maturing. He looks great physically. This is going to be a great experience for him. So it’s really good to watch what he’s done.”
Contreras was added to the 40-man roster last offseason. The Braves lack catching depth – it’s possible they’ll try to sign another veteran – so it’s not inconceivable that Contreras might crack the majors sometime in the next year. The 22-year-old has not, however, played a game above the Double-A level.
» On the major-league catching side, Snitker is thrilled with what he's seen from d'Arnaud thus far. The Braves signed the former Rays backstop to a two-year deal last winter.
“The whole package is really good,” Snitker said. “He’s taken a vested interest in the pitching staff. I like everything about what he’s going to bring to us and the kind of player he is.”
» Culberson, competing for a spot on the roster, slapped a two-run homer off reliever Grant Dayton before the scrimmage concluded. Culberson's versatility could prove valuable given the season's daily uncertainty.
» Left-hander Cole Hamels, who's working his way back from shoulder discomfort that prevented him from pitching during spring training, has continued his side sessions but won't begin throwing live batting practices this weekend.
Last week, Hamels anticipated he will need roughly three game-like outings to be ready for opening day, adding “if I can throw roughly 50 to 60 pitches in a game environment, I’ll be good to go.” Snitker said Thursday that the Braves are being “careful” with Hamels.
Realistically, if Hamels hasn’t started throwing batting practice this weekend, time is dwindling with opening day approaching in less than two weeks. Monday is 11 days from the Braves’ opener in New York, and around two weeks from the day Hamels would pitch, assuming the team slates him lower in the rotation.
Two weeks ago, the Braves said they expected Hamels to be ready for the start of the season. As days go by, it’s looking possible the southpaw might not be ready out of the gate, after all. What happens next week will provide a clearer picture.
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