With a chance to eliminate the Dodgers in Game 5 of the NLCS on Friday and advance to the World Series for the first time since 1999, the Braves will turn to left-handed reliever A.J. Minter as their starter, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. He’ll square off against the Dodgers’ Dustin May.
This figures to be a short outing for Minter, who threw 21 2/3 frames in 22 regular-season appearances and recorded more than three outs on only a couple of occasions. The 27-year-old Minter made his appearances count, though, as he logged a meager 0.83 ERA/2.82 FIP with 9.97 K/9, 3.74 BB/9 and a 49.0 percent groundball rate. He’s a key member of a bullpen that finished 2020 with the majors’ fourth-best ERA (3.50), and that unit’s likely to be busy Friday.
Despite questions in a rotation that’s missing Mike Soroka and Cole Hamels because of injuries, the Braves have stormed to a 3-1 lead against the favored Dodgers. Most of the games in the series haven’t been close to this point, including a Thursday matchup in which the Braves and starter Bryse Wilson posted a dominant 10-2 victory.
Interesting. I guess if they aren’t doing well they will let Kyle Wrong try to become Kyle Wright out the pen to save the other arms.
I like that idea. This can be a game where we let our major bullpen arms recover, but I’d much rather try to win and play two less games
Greene is only one that’s gone 2 days straight with Ynoa pitching 92 pitches 2 days ago. Everyone seems in play.
Dayton is out too. Idk why Greene pitched on Wednesday. I know he hasn’t pitched that much lately, but it’d be nice if he hadn’t.
They probably should start Kyle Wright. He only threw 28 pitches yesterday. It could give him a chance to put that disastrous start behind him and be ready on full rest to start a WS game 3. And even if he had another bad start, they would still have two opportunities to end the series with their two best pitchers going on regular rest.
No. Get the series over with. Dont drag this out. Rest the arms and Wright jist got lit up like a Christmas tree two days ago and you want to send him back in?
Yes, give him the ball for 2 IP to gain some confidence. If the wind from yesterday (blowing in) is still there, it will be harder to hit out, though he will need better location obviously. I’d rather him going now then if we lose, him not pitching, and possibly coming in G6/G7. If not, take him off the roster and bring in another arm.
I would save Wright for garbage time innings. See how far the pen can take them today. If they’re in a position to win then throw their best guys and finish it off. If they drop down by 4+ runs then let Wright eat as many innings as possible to keep the rest of the pen fresh.
The Braves best two shots at winning are when Fried and Anderson go and it’s smart to get them on normal rest, they just have to bridge the gap to them without wrecking the pen.
Yes. Because he is your third best starter and you will likely need him if you want to win the World Series. It’s better to pitch him now when you up 3-1 than to hope his blow up was just an aberration and have him blow game 3 of the WS as well.
Besides, starting AJ Minter is far from a guarantee of closing the series out. Minter won’t go much longer than one inning. Wright will probably be in afterward at some point anyway. Might as well show him you still have confidence in his ability to put game 3 behind him.
Get real! Young, starting routine, and chick peas!
So long as I dont see Dayton again idgaf
AJ the starter who’d a thunk it…GO BRAVES!!!
Not a starter so much as an opener, meaning he should only go 1+ IP then have someone, presumably long RP (Tomlin, Wright?, Matzek) to piece to the next arm.
If by some chance the Dodgers get out to a huge lead the first 2 inns Id like to see them pull May and gamble a little bit with the pen to get the win today- I couldnt belive they didnt do that with Urias game 3 ….he coulda been going today with May ready for games 5,6,7 in relief-
I like Roberts but his pen moves leave a lot to be desired – You can almost feel the added pressure with every move he makes and they often times turn out completely wrong. Not hard to imagine its all up in his head right now and he’s second guessing himself every game
The Braves should do Minter for the 1st inning, Webb for innings 2 and 3, O’Day for innings 4 and 5, Matzek innings 6& 7 and Melancon innings 8 and 9.
Could Minter go 2? Tomlin could pitch 3 and 4, Webb in 5 and 6, O’ Day 7th, Matzek 8th, then Melancon 9th
Pitching Tomlin in a spot where a double digit lead isn’t involved was/is/will be a GIANT mistake. Dude throws bp fastballs and if the game is relatively close then it won’t be for long with him on the mound.
To be clear, I like Tomlin and he gave the braves some quality innings during the regular season against lesser opponents but that just won’t get it done against this Dodgers lineup on this stage.
Tomlin hadn’t pitched since, I believe, September 27. With no days off, Tomlin was going to pitch at some point, barring a sweep. He needed to get in that game and get some real work. I get why Snitker did it, just sucked that Tomlin sucked.
It is going to be really interesting to see how the pitching plays out. Win or lose, this should be a really interesting game. This is what playoff baseball is about. Both managers are trying to plan their moves six steps ahead and you have to think short and long term. A screw up today can lose you a game two days from now.
I mean, I agree but to be honest I’m kind of confused as to why he’s even on the postseason roster. “Veteran presence” only matters up to a certain point when you have many guys who have more raw talent. Plenty of guys with better stuff than Tomlin if you’re just looking for someone to eat garbage time innings, as Ynoa clearly demonstrated.
Also, in light of Wilson’s start yesterday, let’s not forget that Robbie Erlin made 5 starts this season. Just feels like they put too much weight on veteran status when you have some legit horses twiddling thumbs at the alternate site.
I agree with you that Wilson should’ve gotten more looks as opposed to some retreads. The Braves went through Chacin, Erlin, Milone, Touki, Folty, Newcomb, Wright went down then back up, and Wilson never really got a look.
The Braves have 15 pitchers on the NLCS roster. If you’re the 15th guy on a staff you’re probably not that great. Not sure who else they could’ve had. Touki? Luke Jackson? Sobotka? Newcomb?
In general, I’m not a fan of the “up for one start then back down” way that they have managed some of their young pitchers. I think it’s terrible for their development.
The one thing that Tomlin has over guys like Newk, Folty, Sobotka in inning-eating situations is that he throws strikes. Problem is, that isn’t really a plus if every strike gets laced into the gap.
I would have been fine with Jeremy Walker or Tucker Davidson taking that spot. Even Newk, at least there is a history of him being good out of the bullpen with much better stuff. Especially if you’re reserving him for super low-leverage situations.
Hey, I’m happy to be wrong and I’ll be the first person to sing Tomlin’s praises if he pitches well but man it makes me nervous seeing him face the Dodgers.
I mean, I definitely don’t feel good about him in the game, but I can see him being crafty enough to make it through two or three innings. I actually would’ve been fine with Newcomb over Tomlin. Newcomb had spurts of pitching pretty good this season. I just don’t think he’s a starter anymore and because of the issues with starting this season he was forced to be one.
Matzek 2 and Minter 1
You can’t use Tomlin with that three-batter rule. It would be different if you weren’t locked into that.
Then he shouldn’t be on the roster. It’s not like this rule was enacted after the Braves finalized their NLCS roster. H’s there so use him.
Which has a better chance of happening today: The Braves winning or the Astros winning?
Braves.
Dodgers easily based on pitching matchups and its not close-
Valdez has been amazing
I’m sure they are not using Wright in case Fried implodes in game 6.
Matzek. Matzek. Matzek. ((
Matzek starting again would be a great story
I’m curious to see if they stretch him out in the spring to be a starter or leave him in the bullpen since he’s been so dang good there this yr.
The Braves probably don’t want to ruin the guys confidence again in case he doesn’t pitch well as an opener/starter.
I’m all on board with giving him the job in 2021….but the Braves cannot go into next season with these questions mark again. Get a #2 as worst and then build around them.
FA/Trade, Fried, Soroka, Anderson, Matzek.
Try to trade Wilson, Wright, whomever.
I say keep him in the pen where he was successful. Don’t mess with what works. Plus, the Braves rotation could be set already, barring injuries.
Soroka, Fried, Anderson, Wright, and Wilson or a free agent.
Go Braves
I’m hoping the Astros win the WS. Braves have to win this year. They won’t be back anytime soon. Fried and Anderson will get figured out soon and Soroka won’t come back the same. They’ll lose Ozuna and pache and Walters won’t be anything special. I could see it from a mile away. They’ll still probably win the division like 6 times in the next 10 years and be a very good team next year, and for the people saying I’m hating on them. I’m not. I’m picking them to win the division next year. I’m just saying it’s so hard to make it back to the WS. Braves are better than the Mets Nats and Phillies Rn. (Let’s see in the Offseason tho) I’m not saying they are bad. They just won’t make it back after this year imo.
Look at the dodgers. They are the best team and not making it. BrAves have to win it this year to a rays team that has (maybe the worst lineup I’ve seen out of a WS team) bc this is their best shot. Imo
Kershaw has to be upset that it’s still not God’s will for the Dodgers to win it all. Maybe he’s not folding his hands properly when he prays.
Maybe he’s praying to the wrong God?
Ooooh, good point. You could very well be right; maybe there ARE baseball gods.
Otherwise, maybe the Braves are praying harder… or more… or the right way… or to the right God.
So confusing. Poor Kershaw though.
Maybe he’s our baseball generation of Dan Marino.
And I’m not saying fierd Anderson pache and Walters will be bad. But Anderson and fried are probably 3 era dudes not what you’re seeing. And pache will hit like Inciarte use too imo. Walters will be good too but not elite.
*** Summons waiter gracefully;
Excuse me, Sorry, Im not the one to do this often but Im afraid Im going to have to send this dish back…..its just wayy too salty to digest
***shakes head slowly;
My apologies, sir. This establishment does not allow its meals returned. After all, it would be a terribly ill waste of such fine cuisine to have it simply ‘whisked’ back.
However, allow us to compensate you for your problems.
Help yourself to our “political ranting,” free of charge.
As long as either Waters or Pache is coming to Texas, that’s all the matters lol.
Anyways, I think the Braves will be great for a while. I don’t see Anderson sustaining his greatness because I just don’t like the lack of horizontal movement in his pitches. Fried and Soroka will be the two-headed monster with Anderson right there with a 3.30-3.50 era. They’ll keep signing bounce-back guys as their 4 hitter, and keep striving. They are good, and will be for a while.
Anderson is legit. I can see him being similar to Soroka. That change up is a game changer. Movement, movement, movement, just like Soroka. He just needs to work on his control.
I agree braves will be amazing. I’d Soroka comes back the same than sure but I don’t think he will. Fired isn’t the pitcher you’ve seen this year. He is 3.30 like you say Anderson is. I’was just trying to tell the Braves fans not to expect to make it bc it’s hard to make it again dodgers have been favorites like 5 years in a row lol.
I guess your a genius w/perfect vision, next time I want my future determined I will have my assistant contact one of yours!!
You are absolutely clueless about the Braves and obviously salty about them owning the Muts. Fried hasn’t been figured out in 2 full seasons, he’s legit. Anderson has better pure stuff than both Fried and Soroka. Those 3 will continue making the Muts look bad for the next decade or so. Wilson, Wright, Davidson, and Muller all have a lot of potential also. Fear and jealousy are a bad combo. As for Pache and Waters, get used to them breaking your heart also. And Ozuna will be back. He loves ATL and they have $70 mil coming off the books after the season. He’ll continue owning you as well. The Braves are the team to beat for years to come.
Soroka won’t come back the same. Anderson is overrated. A good 3 nothing more. And I wasn’t saying fried will be like matz. He’ll be good but if you think this dude is a CY confidante going foward I don’t know what to tell you. The other pitchers you named don’t scare me at all. And Ozuna is good don’t get me wrong. But he isn’t the hitter you got for 60 games either. I’m not saying the Braves are bad. They’ll probably win the division next year. But probably goes less far than the NL east team that makes the WC lol.
“Anderson is overrated”
By whose standards? Yours?
I think baseball people with more knowledge than you would disagree
He believes Anderson is overrated because of the uniform he wears ….
Does Roberts go with the 18 million dollar man who’es nice and rested from the last 2 days off or the guy who’es already had his Locker placard taken off at Chavez in Joc?
Id go Door C- Taylor Kiki Rios as the bottom 1/3 but I dont see it happenin
Door C-
I actually just noticed that you made that joke already. Dang it.
Gezz D it is- Joc and the 18 million dollar man get the start – Rios to the bn
well rip
Contrary to the narrative I think Dodgers biggest obstical will be winning tonight than a potential game 6 or 7.
I think I know what your saying but disagree- I think game 7 **would be – They coulda avoided that game 3 by having Urias throw 24 pitches and pulling him-
Dodgers show remarkable confidence anytime Buehler is on the mound- I like our game 6 chances of (re) figuring Fried out – I like our chances tonight as well tonight
Its not all doom and gloom for La, getting back out there right away tonight helps over a travel day. Like I always say in a 7 game series win tonight and the series couldnt possibly be any closer sans the narratives
There was an article on MLB.com talking about how the Dodgers shouldn’t have pitched Urias at all, pushed him back to game four and Kershaw back to game five. Really outside the box thinking, but it was an interesting thought.
He coulda still been fine throwing his 2 clean frames at 20 pitches-
I was saying that the whole first hr …… Roberts is so in his own head I dont know if it even crossed his mind for more than a second-
If I ran the team id just hire the bench coach to be a bullpen whiz and take the realms all too himself
Yea, he was already warm. Let him go out and throw basically a bullpen, have Kershaw stick to game four and Urias to game five. It’s just a really non-traditional move and if something weird were to happen he would be absolutely butchered.
Dodgers bullpen is going to have to jump through hoops in every remaining game for them to even out and possibly win the series.
It’s going to take that and Roberts juggling confidence in his players with intelligence to whom best suits each situation from what he knows and is told.
Easier to say on paper, but the fact remains that they can’t let the other team out maneuver them again, lest they get eliminated.
Good move. AJ has earned this. I would not have thought this a year ago
its more a statement of their poor rotational health then a nod to Minter
Most people don’t know that AJ was injured in a car wreck last year before spring trai ning, injured his back & shoulder. This year he has been healthy !!!!
Minter 2
Tomlin 3
Matzek 1
Greene 1
Martin 1
Melancon 1
Or
Minter 1/3.
Tomlin 1 2/3.
Wright 1 2/3.
And we’re screwed.
Def Monday morn Qb ‘N but shame Ynoa wasnt avail for this game- He made an impact game 3 no doubt but this coulda been a whole different kinda impact today if he was fresh
Idk if Ynoa would pitch like that in a pressure game though. He’s got good stuff, but is really inconsistent and his control isn’t good right now. He definitely saved the bullpen some innings to keep more guys fresh.
Tomlin?
He’ll probably follow Minter.
No more Tomlin, EVER!!!
I second that!
Tomlin needs to go be with Erlin and Milone wherever they are.
At the very least, he has a lot to prove other than that he can sure give a wad of tobacco a serious workout. I believe he’s got that down
I always laugh when I see big chaws in. I could careless about it, but I thought it was banned? No one beats Jose Ramirez though.
Here’s to hoping that Minter doesn’t go down 2-0 on Betts.
Such a winnable game and the Braves give it away again. So frustrating!
Also still waiting to see Acuna prove he is not overrated!
So continue to use that username instead of being a coward and having 10 user names.
Mr Snitker messed up not once but twice. It could
Cost them the series. No way Smith should have faced the other Smith after the second guy reached. Then again he left Webb in to long. Should have pulled him immediately once Taylor reached. He was to jacked up ove true ump awarding first. Both decisions to be loyal to his pitchers likely will cost the team the pennant. Not good game management. To bad they really had a chance to close it out tonight up 2-1
Magnificent pitching from Minter and Matzek, Matzek was unlucky because Pache should have caught that home run. Big mess up by Ozuna with not tagging up as that was the momentum changer as you could hear the Dodgers going off in their dugout after that, and after that play the Braves went 0-15 at the plate. Doyers have momentum now, it is going to be a big day tomorrow as Buehler will be up for it and Betts and Seager and Turner are the 3 big outs in that lineup, you watch the Doyers go after Fried and try and get him out of the game. I can only hope Fried has a sterling outing and gets to 6 or 7.. Will Smith pitcher has been a bit of a letdown, although I think he got cheated on one of the calls, Martin has been huge out of the pen.