Braves maintain 'faith and belief' in Smith-Shawver after tough G1 start

ATLANTA -- If Ian Anderson was pitching like he did while producing a 1.26 ERA in eight career postseason starts, the Braves would have confidently handed him the ball to start Game 1 of their National League Wild Card Series against the Padres.

But with Anderson still not back to form following the Tommy John surgery he underwent in April 2023, the Braves gambled on AJ Smith-Shawver and lost. Smith-Shawver surrendered a Fernando Tatis Jr. home run in the first inning and faced just nine batters during the Braves’ 4-0 loss to San Diego on Tuesday night at Petco Park.

“We didn’t know what we were going to get from any of those guys if we would have started them,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “The best scenario would have been if we would have won the first game [of Monday’s doubleheader] and had Grant [Holmes] start today.”

Actually, the best-case scenario would have been to clinch a postseason berth with a win in the first game of Monday’s doubleheader against the Mets and then had the opportunity to start Chris Sale in Game 1. But Snitker’s mention that Holmes would have likely been the option had he not started Monday’s second game indicates that the Braves entered the twin bill knowing Sale’s back problems were going to prevent him from pitching in this best-of-three series.

As for each of the other current members of the Braves’ rotation, none of them would have been on regular rest before Game 2 is played on Wednesday. So, the Braves dipped into their farm system.

• Braves-Padres NL Wild Card Series Game 2 FAQ

They didn’t go with Anderson because they don’t think he has reached the point of his rehab where he’s ready to face big league hitters. The right-hander remained with Gwinnett after he resumed pitching this year.

Anderson’s four-seam fastball averaged 92.5 mph over his final four Triple-A starts this year. That pitch averaged 94 mph in 2022 and 94.6 in ’21.

“It was just the fact that Ian hasn’t been in the big leagues for a year and a half,” Snitker said. “He's continuing to throw in Gwinnett and can still be an option down the road. But I think it's more that he's in his rehab year [that] is the biggest thing."

Smith-Shawver, who ranks as the Braves’ No. 2 prospect, didn’t learn there was a slight possibility he might be needed to start Game 1 until Monday afternoon. He received confirmation around 11 a.m. PT on Tuesday, a little more than six hours before first pitch.

This was certainly an unexpected development for the 21-year-old hurler, who posted a 4.86 ERA in 20 starts for Gwinnett this year and made just one big league appearance. That one start occurred when he strained his left oblique while throwing 4 1/3 scoreless innings against the Cubs on May 23.

“There’s obviously nerves, but this is where you want to be throwing,” Smith-Shawver said. “Sometimes, it doesn’t work out your way. But I don’t think nerves were the issue today.”

Smith-Shawver retired just four of the nine batters he faced and surrendered Tatis' two-run homer before he recorded his first out. Tatis produced a 112.8 mph exit velocity with the monstrous shot he hit against a 93.8 mph four-seamer.

“He hits up-and-in pitches pretty well,” Smith-Shawver said. “I tried to go outside and I leaked it up and in, into his wheelhouse, and shot myself in the foot early.”

Smith-Shawver spent last week hanging outside the Braves’ clubhouse to see friends like Spencer Schwellenbach and Bobby Witt Jr., whose Royals were in Atlanta this past weekend.

So, days after waiting in the tunnel to see his pals, Smith-Shawver was asked to start one of the team’s biggest games of the year. His teammates know his performance wasn’t indicative of his potential.

“I think he handled himself well and unfortunately, things didn’t go his way,” Braves left-handed reliever Aaron Bummer said. “I’ve got nothing but faith and belief in AJ.”