PHILADELPHIA – Julio Teheran will face the surging Phillies at hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, and at first glance that looks like a recipe for disaster the way things have gone for Teheran on the road this season.
The Braves’ opening-day starter last won a road game on opening day, and he’s 1-5 with a 7.24 ERA in 11 road starts, the highest road ERA among National League starters and second-highest in the majors. He’ll face a last-place but resurgent Phillies team that was 11-2 since the All-Star break before Saturday, batting .280 and averaging just over five runs per game in that span.
But in case you’re tempted to write off Sunday’s game and look ahead to Monday’s homestand opener against the Giants, there is something else to consider: Teheran has thrived at Citizens Bank Park. He’s 2-1 with a 1.74 in three career starts at the stadium, his best ERA at any ballpark where he’s pitched more than once.
Then again, he hasn’t pitched at Philadelphia this season. And Teheran never struggled on the road in the past the way he has this season, when the disparity between his home and road statistics has been rather remarkable. And instead of evening out over the course of the long season, that disparity remained as severe as you are likely to ever see from a pitcher.
Teheran is 5-1 with a 2.37 ERA in 10 home starts, the 10th-best home ERA in the NL.
To recap, that’s tenth-best ERA at home, where he’s allowed three home runs in 64 2/3 innings, and a league-worst ERA on the road, where he’s allowed 15 homers in 59 2/3 innings.
One other thing: Teheran will face a lineup Sunday likely to have up to six left-handed hitters or switch hitters. Against lefties this season, he’s allowed a .309 average, .395 OBP and .498 slugging percentage (compared to .233/.300/.386 by righth-handed hitters).
After limiting the Marlins to one run in six innings on opening day at Miami, Teheran has gone 0-5 with a 7.88 ERA and .329 opponents’ average in his past 10 road starts, and 0-4 with an 8.29 in his past six. In his first start on the 10-game trip that ends Sunday, Teheran allowed five hits, five runs, two homers and four walks in five innings of a 7-3 loss Tuesday at Baltimore.
So, what to expect Sunday?
“I’m not even (thinking) that far ahead,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said before Saturday’s game. “And I know he’s pitching here against a lot of left-handed hitters. I know him and (pitching coach) Roger (McDowell) came in after his sidework — I think it was Thursday — and Roger was really excited about his (session). But again, (taking it from the) side to the game sometimes doesn’t correlate. But he was excited about it.”
