Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
Atlanta Braves’ starting pitcher Brandon Beachy has shown he still has it in his last two starts. The 26-year-old righty returned to the team on July 29 from Tommy John rehabilitation and has since started four games. In 2012, Beachy had started 13 games and pitched 81 innings with a 2.00 ERA when he suddenly had to leave the rotation for Tommy John surgery.
13 months later, Beachy has returned and if his last two performances are any sign of what’s to come, he may be the Braves’ ace going into the postseason.
In his first game back, Beachy faced the Colorado Rockies where he struggled to command the ball. In only 3.2 innings, he gave up eight hits, a walk and seven earned runs. I didn’t expect Beachy to come back and dominate lineups so his first game wasn’t too concerning, especially after some of his shaky rehab performances in the minors. In his second start, Beachy improved by giving up only five hits and two walks in 6.1 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies but he still showed signs of weakness with his command. I hoped that he would continue to improve in his next starts, and that’s exactly what he did.
In his third start, Beachy threw eight dominant innings in which he gave up only three hits and one walk, striking out six. That day it looked as if he had never left the rotation for Tommy John, he looked like an All-Star. Even so, that game was against the Miami Marlins, who are absolutely terrible at hitting the year, so I was still holding my breath when Beachy took the mound against the Phillies yesterday. Beachy was outstanding in his start, giving up only two earned runs in six innings, those of which came when he threw a pitch right into the wheelhouse of Dominic Brown.
If Beachy can return to the form he had before surgery, the Braves’ pitching staff might end up the best in baseball as October looms. His real test will come next week when he will likely face rising star Matt Harvey and the New York Mets.
Adam Krentz is an Atlanta Braves writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter or add him to your network on Google.
