Elder adjusting after 'rushed' spring debut

TAMPA, Fla. -- It wasn’t the Spring Training debut Braves right-hander Bryce Elder envisioned -- not by a long shot. After facing four batters, there were four hits and four runs allowed. He threw 22 pitches before getting an out.

Elder took solace in knowing that his sinkerball generally sunk, but batted balls sneaked through openings in the infield defense. And, of course, this was early in Grapefruit League play, not midseason in the National League.

Following Sunday’s 7-0 defeat to the Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field, Elder said it was merely another spring mile marker -- one he hopes will lead to a prominent spot in Atlanta’s pitching staff.

“You get three ground balls and [none of them] go to a guy,’’ Elder said. “Obviously, on paper, it looks horrible. I really didn’t think it was that bad. I mean, one bad pitch.’’

To recap Elder’s first inning: Gleyber Torres singled up the middle. Aaron Judge’s grounder to third base -- spectacularly played by a diving Joe Dunand, then dropped by lunging first baseman Ryan Casteel -- was judged a hit. Aaron Hicks slapped a single between the hole at first and second.

Then Jose Trevino followed with a grand slam. He jumped on a 2-0 sinker that was left up in the zone. In the blink of an eye, it was 4-0.

“They just found a hole or two, but he got out of trouble,’’ Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “It’s fine. I mean, it’s just like Hicks’ hit. That’s going to be the result. The single is going to come back into the game now [without extreme shifts].

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“As long as Elder stays healthy and his stuff keeps doing what we know it can do, I’m not looking for him to set the world on fire. He just needs to be himself, do exactly what he came in and did last year. If he does that, he’s going to be very successful. Just stay ready. You never know when you’re going to need a guy like that.’’

The Braves needed Elder last season when he was 2-4 with a 3.17 ERA in 10 outings (nine starts), including a six-hit shutout of the Nationals on Sept. 26. Elder also made 18 appearances (17 starts) at Triple-A Gwinnett (6-5, 4.46 ERA).

This season, with uncertainty over Michael Soroka’s hamstring injury, Elder figures to be competing with Ian Anderson for the fifth-starter slot.

“You never know what might happen the rest of the spring,’’ Snitker said. “But if you’re in Triple-A, then just be ready. If you’re going good, if something happens, you get a chance to get called up. A lot of things can happen, but [Elder] has put himself in the mix.’’

Either way, Elder said he will continue with his spring game plan, which focuses on getting in his work and keeping his pitches down. He worked with a pitch timer in the Minors, but Sunday was his first experience with it at the Major League level. He felt a bit sped up.

“I think I’m somebody who moves pretty quick,’’ said Elder, who was lifted with two outs in the second inning after 37 pitches. “Sometimes, I would look [and the timer] would be at 6 or 7 [seconds]. And I was like, ‘Whoa!’ You can’t shake [off the pitch], you better get rid of it. But it wasn’t too bad. I was a little bit rushed, but nothing out of the ordinary.

“Any time something changes, people make adjustments. For the hitters, it’s going to be tough, but those guys make adjustments day by day. They’re doing the hardest thing in sports -- hitting a baseball -- and pitchers have to make adjustments, too, but it will be fine.’’

In the big picture, Elder said he will continue working himself into a position to contribute.

“I’m not a big velocity guy, but I think when I command the fastball and stay in the zone, I can have success,’’ Elder said. “You kind of saw that today. When I commanded it, I was just fine and got ground balls. When I didn’t, I got beat.’’