The Atlanta Braves are off to a 3-1 start, and so far the pitching staff has been the biggest reason why.

Bryce Elder’s six scoreless innings against the Athletics on Monday night were the latest example of a rotation that has quietly been one of the best in baseball through the first four games of the season.

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Elder allowed just five hits and one walk while striking out five on 83 pitches in the 4-0 win over Oakland at Truist Park.

It was Atlanta’s second shutout in four games, and it dropped the Athletics to an ugly 0-4 start, their worst opening stretch since 2021.

For a Braves team that entered the year with real pitching questions, Elder stepping up like this was exactly what they needed.

A Different Pitcher Than 2023

After the game, Elder talked about where he’s at mentally and physically compared to his 2023 All-Star season, and the answer was pretty telling.

“I think I’m more complete,” Elder said. “I think in ’23, I went on a run and was just making good pitches over and over again. But from a stuff standpoint and the crispness and stuff, yeah, I absolutely do [feel better than in 2023].”

That 2023 run was special, but what came after it was rough.

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Elder posted a 5.99 ERA across 44 starts from July 2023 through August 2025, and a lot of Braves fans started wondering whether he belonged in the rotation at all.

He even had a shaky spring training this year with a 4.73 ERA, which did nothing to quiet those doubts.

But the way he finished last season, rattling off a 2.82 ERA over his final seven starts, earned him another shot.

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What makes Elder’s case interesting right now is the way he’s evolving on the mound. Monday’s start marked the first time he used a cutter at the major league level, deploying it seven times against left-handed hitters.

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That pitch gives him a different look compared to his slider and adds another layer to an arsenal that already features a sinker, slider, and changeup.

He is not just surviving anymore. He is building something.

Manager Walt Weiss was blunt about it after the game.

“Hell of a job by Bryce,” Weiss said. “I’m really proud of him.”

Rotation Carrying the Load

Elder’s outing was part of a larger trend for the Braves early on.

Atlanta’s starters have combined to allow just four runs over 23 innings through the first four games, with Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, Grant Holmes, and Elder all delivering quality outings.

That kind of depth matters even more considering Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep are out with injuries and Spencer Strider is still working his way back from a strained oblique.

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A year ago the Braves opened the season 0-7 and never really recovered from the chaos.

This time around things feel different, and Elder is going to be a big part of that.