The Braves, with 50 home runs, have hit more September dingers than the Nationals, Tigers, and Cubs combined. Even with that run-producing pop, Atlanta’s ability to play deep into the postseason, and potentially battle for a World Series title, may come down to whether the team can send a healthy and productive fourth starter to the mound.
Enter Huascar Ynoa.
How could the Braves’ ability to win the World Series — even get there, really — rest upon the shoulders of a 22-year-old rookie with a 5.82 ERA who’s left each of his most recent two starts with a different minor injury? Former MLB infielder Nick Green told The Midday Show Atlanta will have to find a fourth starter, and if not Ynoa, who?
“If you get past the first round, you’ve got to have four starters,” Green said. “Fried, Anderson, and hopefully Kyle Wright pitches well his next time out. So, those are your top three.” Green, who spent eight years in Major League Baseball, his first with Atlanta, then said the Braves’ first three starters would have to get help in the form of Ynoa if the team advanced in the postseason.
“And if they go into Round 2, you have to have that fourth starter,” Green said. “Hopefully it’s Huascar Ynoa. But [Monday] he only threw 3 innings, he struggled in the first.”
According to The Athletic, Ynoa’s struggles Monday could have been because he cracked the nail on his right middle finger. He should be good to go for his next start, David O'Brien reported. That said, on September 15, Ynoa dealt with reported lower-back issues.
“If he’s not healthy,” Green said about Ynoa, “I don’t know where you go, honestly.”
Green mentioned Josh Tomlin and Tyler Matzek as long guys. Tomlin started five games this season for Atlanta and Matzek has appeared in 19 games, but hasn’t made a start. Other options aren’t terribly appealing based on recent work. Tommy Milone is on the 10-day IL with elbow inflammation and could possibly make a return, but he’s allowed 16 earned runs since he arrived in Atlanta over three starts. Everyone is rooting for Mike Foltynewicz to return at some point. But with 6 runs allowed in his lone 3 1/3 inning start, and the way he looked out on the mound, could Folty be the Braves’ postseason answer? Ynoa being able to throw in the second round of the postseason may be the best answer.
What about those 50 September home runs and big names like Ronald Acuña Jr., Marcell Ozuna, and Freddie Freeman? What about that top-notch bullpen with the third-best ERA in baseball? Can’t the high-powered Braves overcome a less-than-stellar rotation?
“I don’t think there’s ever been a team this good that’s had so many question marks in the rotation,” Green said. “If you look at the rotation and look at the numbers outside of Fried and Soroka, who only threw two games before he got hurt, and then Ian Anderson coming up for a few games, this rotation has been awful. How they’ve stayed in these games I have no idea.
“The offense is really good. They’ve got great chemistry, they have a great bullpen. Snit’s done a really good job — I know people have questioned his moves as far a bullpen usage at times — at keeping those guys rested. You can’t have success with a starting rotation with the number they have without having a great bullpen and having those guys rested.”