Absence of Top Braves Rotation Arms Growing More Noticeable

It was a rough night for left-hander Joey Wentz from start to finish. In his second start for the Atlanta Braves, he allowed four runs, three earned, over 4 1/3 innings pitched. All came on just four hits and a walk. He allowed a home run, an RBI double and a sac fly. To add insult to injury, a runner charged to him scored on an RBI double as well. 

He’s had one solid start and one tough one. Neither time has he been stretched out enough to give them innings. The Braves just haven’t been able to find any fill-in starters who consistently get the job done. 

Maybe Wentz starts to settle in and starts to find his way. Who knows? This isn't specifically targeted at him, and it would be great if that were the case. It's just, unfortunately for him, he's just part of a trend we've been seeing.

It was a similar deal with Davis Daniel before he was optioned back to Triple-A. He had a good start against the Cardinals before the All-Star Break, and then had a nightmare of a second inning against the Giants on Tuesday. 

The major takeaway we’re learning is that starting pitchers on the injured list can’t get back fast enough. It shows how difficult it is to replace the innings and effectiveness of Chris Sale and Spencer Schwellenbach. Even if either pitcher allowed three earned runs like Wentz did, this game would have gone a lot differently with the innings provided by either. They get through seven with three earned, and it's still a close game late.

It sounds obvious that it's hard to replace star players, but it’s easier to forget than you think. 

Last season, the Braves got very lucky. Schwellenbach proved to be ready for Major League action. Reynalo López had a career year, and Grant Holmes answered the call of duty as a rotation option later in the season. Let's not forget Sale revived his career last season.

You felt like an option was going to work just because the Braves were giving it a go.

That same next-man-up system just hasn’t panned out. AJ Smith-Shawver was finally ready, but he also got hurt, and we won’t see him again until later next season. 

There was a hope that Didier Fuentes could be an answer. The logic was there. He looked good in the minors, and they pulled Schwellenbach out of the minors after a couple of Double-A starts. Why not see if they can hit the nail on the head twice? Fuentes was far from ready for a chance, and now he’s trying to find his confidence again in Triple-A. 

It doesn’t help that this season’s rotation is already trying to overcome losing the innings from Max Fried and Charlie Morton. That was already difficult. Absorbing their loss, plus having Sale and Schwellenbach injured, with the options at hand is like trying to mop up a flood with tissue paper. The team needs something heavy-duty. 

Recently, Brian Snitker emphasized the importance of getting starting pitchers back during the season, even if the playoffs were a lost cause. It did a lot for them mentally and their preparation for next season. That could arguably apply to the team here. Getting them back and pitching well during this season would make for a nice morale boost. 

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