I said it in August, and it’ll be put to the test this Braves season: Spencer Schwellenbach’s ascent has softened the blow of Max Fried’s departure.
At the time, Schwellenbach was coming off an outing in which he recorded nine strikeouts in 6.2 innings of two-run ball in a 3-2 series-clinching win against the rival Phillies. It brought his ERA to 2.13 in two starts against Philly, in which he punched out 15 batters and allowed only one walk in 12.2 innings.
On the season to that point, Schwellenbach had a 3.94 ERA with 94 strikeouts to only 15 walks in 82.1 innings. It wasn’t exactly a sexy ERA figure, but you could just tell he had it.
The Nebraska product would go on to finish the 2024 campaign with a 3.35 ERA, 3.29 FIP, 5.52 SO/W, and 1.043 WHIP across 21 starts and 123.2 innings in Atlanta, but he ended the season on an absolute tear. This is why Braves fans should be comfortable with him filling Max Fried’s shoes. In his final 12 starts, he posted a 2.47 ERA, including a 7.0 inning, one-run gem against the Mets in his final appearance.
Max Fried earned every bit of the record-breaking contract that the Yankees gave him, but the Braves are clearly excited about what Spencer Schwellenbach brings to the table. He’s already showing frontline stuff, and he’s doing it with virtually no experience.
He did not pitch in Atlanta’s system the first year and only threw 65 innings in 2023. Schwellenbach then threw just 45 innings in the minors in 2024 before his promotion to the big leagues. The Braves former second-round pick grew exponentially over the course of last season; I can’t wait to see what he does in 2025.
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