Eleven years after making his debut and more than 20 months since he last pitched in the majors, David Aardsma made it back to the big leagues Tuesday when he was brought up from Triple-A to help a beleaguered Braves bullpen.
The 33-year-old right-hander had no delusions of saving the world – or the Braves season.
“Just come out here and do my thing,” Aardsma said. “Do my job, go out there, get my three outs, whatever they ask me to do. Trust myself and let everything else take care of itself.”
He signed a minor league contract with the Braves on Saturday, after exercising an opt-out clause in his minor league deal with the Dodgers on June 1 and becoming a free agent. Aardsma had pitched well for the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate, posting a 2.41 ERA in 20 appearances, with 23 strikeouts and seven walks in 18 2/3 innings. He and his agent knew there would be interest from other teams.
The Braves, who entered Tuesday with a majors-worst 4.90 bullpen ERA, made their interst in Aardsma known right away last week.
“We had a number of good offers, and the Braves – they wanted me the most,” Aardsma said. “They were very adamant about getting me here, giving me an opportunity. You have to go somewhere where they want you.
Aardsma pitched one perfect inning in his only appearance for Triple-A Gwinnett, which was enough for the Braves. Come on down I-85, son. The Braves optioned right-hander Cody Martin back to Triple-A to open a spot.
“He only had one inning in Triple-A, but he’s a guy with pretty good numbers in the minor leagues,” said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, who really didn’t need to explain, given the circumstances of his current bullpen. “And he’s got some major league experience. He hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since, I think, 2013. But here’s a guy who, put him in the right situation and I think he can help us.”
Aardsma has a 4.23 ERA in 298 career appearances over eight major league seasons. He last pitched in the majors in 2013 with the Mets, posting a 4.31 ERA in 43 appearances, with 36 strikeouts and 19 walks in 39 2/3 innings.
“Good guy, knows what he’s doing,” said Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski, a teammate of Aardsma’s with the White Sox in 2006-2007. “He’s got experience, he’s been in some high-level situations, and he’ll help. He has a little breaking ball, he throws a cutter, he’s able to mix it up, and he competes. That’s his biggest positive is that he competes and he goes after guys.”
