Simply speaking, the name Mike Foltynewicz is enough to spark a heated debate among Atlanta Braves fans. Those who are fed up with Foltynewicz point to his inconsistency over his first few seasons in Atlanta. Braves manager Brian Snitker even voiced his frustrations after a particularly rough start recently. It is true that Foltynewicz has struggled with consistency in his early career. Still, his past struggles are distracting fans from the realization that Foltynewicz is getting better.
Mike Foltynewicz is Improving
Early Career in Atlanta
Foltynewicz initially came to Atlanta with Rio Ruiz as part of the package that sent the fan favorite and hard-hitting Evan Gattis to Houston. The hard-throwing righty went on to make 18 appearances with 15 starts in the 2015 season with varied results. He posted a 5.71 ERA with 17 home runs allowed, but a strikeout per nine innings rate of 8.0 earned him a spot in the five-man rotation heading into 2016.
Foltynewicz posted improved results despite remaining inconsistent throughout all of 2016. He made 22 starts in 2016 with a 4.31 ERA, 111 strikeouts, 18 home runs allowed, and a 2.6 walks per nine innings rate. The potential is very evident when Foltynewicz is on point. He throws a strong fastball that hits 97 MPH and a slider that he likes to utilize. Foltynewicz can also mix in a solid change up and a curve when needed.
For his first two seasons in Atlanta, Foltynewicz compiled a 13-11 record with a 4.89 ERA over 40 appearances and 210 innings pitched. Foltynewicz consistently displayed an ability to strike guys out, yet a high walk and home run rate contributed to his inconsistencies.
Rough Appearances in 2017
Foltynewicz made his first start of the season on April 7 in Pittsburgh. He lasted just over three innings after allowing two runs on six hits and three walks; however, his final pitching line does not tell the full story. The weather conditions were less than ideal, with extremely low temperatures and snow flurries in the air on a rough day in Pittsburgh.
Fast forward one month and one will find Foltynewicz’s only other rough start of the season. Once again, the weather became a theme with a rare chilly evening for Atlanta in early May. Foltynewicz gave up seven runs on nine hits and two home runs in four innings against the St. Louis Cardinals. It was evident all game that his control was an issue with many pitches finding the middle of the plate.
It is absolutely true that game conditions are an issue that every pitcher has to deal with. There is also no denying that different people perform better in various conditions. The fact that Foltynewicz’s two worst starts of the season came on unseasonable cool evenings should not be overlooked.
The Good
Foltynewicz has been Atlanta’s most effective starter so far in 2017. Now that statement is true in part because Atlanta’s rotation has been disastrous to start the season. However, it is also true because Foltynewicz is making strides this season. He has made six starts this season and allowed more than two earned runs just once. In fact, without Foltynewicz’s disastrous start against the Cardinals, his averages per start are six innings pitched, 4.6 strikeouts, 1.8 walks, and just three total home runs in five starts.
The one start from Foltynewicz’s good stretch that critics will use against him is his April 30 start against the Milwaukee Brewers. Foltynewicz was only charged with one earned run, but he gave up the game-deciding three-run home run in the sixth inning. It is true that the start was a mixed bag, but Foltynewicz did enough to get out of the sixth inning with just a lone earned run. It was a two-out error in that fateful sixth inning by Dansby Swanson that kept the Brewers rally alive.
Conclusion
The obvious counter-argument here is that one cannot simply remove the bad stats of a player to make that player look better. Yes, Foltynewicz has still struggled a bit with consistency this year, but even his inconsistency requires proper context. Foltynewicz still has work to do. Nevertheless, Foltynewicz is beginning to pitch effectively on a more consistent basis. At age 25 and with the potential he is displaying, Braves fans will be well-served to remain patient just a little while longer with his development.
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