When you look at the box score, and see 20 year old Didier Fuentes’ stat line it looks like the Mets absolutely dominated him throughout the entirety of his outing, but that’s not really the story. Fuentes really only had one bad inning, and with this only being the young right hander’s second Major League start it’s not surprising that he struggled.
However despite Fuentes’ troublesome inning The Morning Shift explains why the Atlanta Braves shouldn’t give up on Didier for struggling versus a good Mets lineup.
“The guy was making his second start against what we need to remember is a really really freaking good lineup. [Jeff] McNeil, [Juan] Soto, [Franciso] Lindor, [Pete] Alonso, [Brett] Baty, we’re not just naming like bums, and those guys are good players, slump or not”. Beau Morgan said
Beau also said earlier in the show that he thinks the Braves sending down Fuentes after a bad start would be just as detrimental to his development as sending him out there again in five days would be.
“It’s just as detrimental for his mental aspect of his growth in this league to just say 'oh well you had a bad outing we’re gonna send you down”. Beau said
Beau also said that he “can’t give up on the guy yet because honestly I don’t know what your other options are at this point”.
Beau is right too because with Chris Sale still on the mend from his fractured rib cage, and Reynaldo López and AJ Smith-Shawver obviously out for the season the only other option Atlanta may have for a starting pitcher is another young prospect in Hurston Waldrep, and he would probably be just as much of a Wild Card as Fuentes at this point.
No matter how the Braves feel about Didier Fuentes they can’t give up on him because honestly they have no one else to turn to right now, so until Chris Sale is ready to come back the Braves 20 year old pitching prospect will just have to keep getting thrown into the fire and learn that way.