Julio Teheran came to spring training determined to re-establish his slider and mix all his off-speed pitches to greater effect than he did during a disappointing 2017 season.
The Braves veteran did what he set out to do, he said Saturday after his final Grapefruit League start.
“I’m happy with the way I threw the ball, I think everything is ready,” he said after allowing three hits, two runs and one walk with five strikeouts in five innings of an 8-3 loss to the Yankees, his final tune-up game before an opening-day start Thursday against the Phillies at SunTrust Park. “Ready to head north and start the season.
“I’m happy with the way I finished spring training, all my goals and what I had in mind to work on, I finished it and didn’t it really good.”
Ozzie Albies hit a long two-run homer for the Braves, the third of the spring for the little second baseman to tie him for second-most on the team behind Ronald Acuna (four).
Teheran retired the first nine batters before giving up pair of fourth-inning homers to Aaron Hicks and Ryan McBroom. He had allowed only one homer and two runs over his first five spring starts and finished with a 1.40 ERA in six games, allowing 19 hits and six walks with 17 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings.
“It was my last start and I wanted to see how everything is before we go north,” Teheran said. “It was good. Other than that curveball that I wanted to throw because I didn’t have it in the bullpen warming up, so I wanted to make sure I had that curveball that I like to throw for a strike sometimes to lefties. But that’s good. I hung it and gave up the homer, but other than that I think everything was good.”
Braves manager Brian Snitker was pleased with what he saw all spring from the 27-year-old Colombian.
“He’s come in on a mission. I think when he got here he had a plan, what he wanted to do, and to me it looks like it’s worked,” Snitker said. “He’s put a lot of hard work into everything. I mean, every start I feel like he’s been kind of really focused and not just getting through it. He’s been working on things and it’s been pretty good.”
The two-time former All-Star, is coming off a below-average season (11-13, 4.49 ERA) that was marked by the great disaparity in Teheran’s home and road splits. He was 8-3 with a 3.14 ERA and .717 opponents’ OPS in 15 road starts, but 3-10 with a 5.86 ERA and .824 opponents’ OPS in 17 home starts.
He said he feels better about his preparedness and approach than last season, particularly after regaining the confidence in his slider.
“It’s a lot different, the way I’m going to the season,” he said. “The way the hitters are reacting, that’s how you can tell how your pitchers are, and I’m happy with the way I’m throwing the ball and getting strikeouts. That’s something good to have and good to know before starting the season. ...
“I would say my slider’s back. The way they swing, even the short ones they’re swinging at. That’s when you know you have a pretty good pitch. Last year I was throwing the slider and they didn’t even swing. That gets in your head and kind of shakes your confidence, you don’t want to throw it again. But when you get swings and misses, and the way they react, they’re going out front, that gives you more confidence so you can trust it and throw it more.”
