One pitch may be Teheran’s problem
The Braves are used to Julio Teheran ranking among league-leading pitchers — just not in these categories.
After 11 starts, Teheran’s ERA is 4.87 and he’s allowed the National League’s third-most runs (40), fourth-most homers (12) and seventh-most walks (26) compared with only 40 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .293 against him — that’s sixth-highest in the NL.
His numbers looked much more Teheran-like after 11 starts in 2014: 19 walks compared with 61 stikeouts, a 1.77 ERA, 19 runs allowed and a .195 opponent batting average.
He’s still salvaged a 4-2 record this season, but that’s mainly because of nearly six runs per game of run support.
“I think he’s OK health-wise,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said after the Braves came from behind to beat the Giants 7-5 in Teheran’s last start. “I think it’s just a matter of the game plan, or the way he’s executing his pitches. It’s not the same Julio from a year ago, where you’d give him the lead and the game’s over.”
Teheran addressed his struggles a few hours before first pitch against Pittsburgh on Friday. He said he’s aware he’s not “the same Julio from a year ago” as he plopped down in the clubhouse after a workout.
“Just working on command right now,” he said. “I feel like I’m walking way too many hitters.”
Teheran said he can boil down the root of most of his problems to one pitch.
“Most of the mistakes I’ve made in games have been with the two-seamer,” he said. “That’s the pitch the last two years that has been successful, and I’ve been missing a lot with it so I’m just trying to work on it.”
Those mistake two-seamers have especially reared their ugly faces in Teheran’s past five starts, during which he’s allowed six home runs and a .928 OPS to go along with a 1.68 WHIP. Opponents are batting .397 against his two-seamer, the pitch he’s thrown second-most often behind the four-seamer.
To try to solve the problem, Teheran said he’s going to cut down on two-seam fastballs over his next few starts while he and Roger McDowell mold the pitch back to form. In the meantime, expect a heavy load of sliders.
“(I’m confident with) my slider,” he said. “That’s the one I’ve been using a lot lately … because I kind of feel like I’m missing more with my fastball and I’m trying to work on that this week.”
Opposing hitters have mustered only a .217 average when facing Teheran’s slider, which is two mph slower than it was last season.
The struggling righty also put in a vote of confidence for his teammates in the bullpen, which is fresh off blowing two leads in the team’s past two games. Its ERA is 4.81, which ranks worst in the NL.
“(The starters) don’t feel any pressure (to last until the late innings) any time we go out there,” Teheran said. “I know the bullpen has struggled the last couple of times, but we know we’ve got the best guy out there. And they want to do well, too.”
