Foltynewicz effective with slider vs. Twins

August 7th, 2019

MINNEAPOLIS -- Given was released two weeks after producing an encouraging start upon his return to the Majors, it would not be wise to assume will pitch like a frontline starter over the remainder of this season.

But the Foltynewicz that capably handled the Twins’ powerful lineup on Tuesday night was much different than the one we saw at any previous point this season. The former All-Star confidently utilized his slider with great regularity and proved he had made the most of his recent six-week demotion to Triple-A Gwinnett.

“I know this is just one outing, but it was a little glimpse that I’m ready to help this team,” Foltynewicz said after allowing the Twins three runs over 5 1/3 innings of the Braves’ 12-7 win.

Foltynewicz cruised through the first five innings in scoreless fashion and then endured some damage after the Braves took 28 minutes to tally six runs in the top of the sixth inning. The long wait might have affected the veteran right-hander, who allowed a Nelson Cruz solo shot and Mitch Garver two-run homer before exiting in the sixth with an 11-3 lead.

But those two home runs did not damper the justified satisfaction Foltynewicz felt at the end of what was his first big league start since he was demoted following a June 22 start against the Nationals. He threw his slider a career-high 46.5 percent of the time in this 101-pitch outing and showed it can be the weapon it was before a bone spur led him to be concerned about the durability of his elbow this year.

“The slider was really good,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “He used his whole assortment. It was very encouraging.”

Foltynewicz concluded four of his seven strikeouts with his slider and didn’t surrender a hit against this pitch until the sixth, when Eddie Rosario singled against one and Garver hit another over the left-field wall.

When Foltynewicz was sent to Gwinnett with a 6.37 ERA through 11 starts, he knew his primary responsibility was to regain effectiveness with his slider. Opponents hit .280 with six homers and a .585 slugging percentage against this breaking ball before the demotion. Last year, they hit .111 with two homers and a .186 SLG.

“If my slider plays how it did last year and how it did [Tuesday], I’m going to get a lot of swing and misses and a lot of strikeouts,” Foltynewicz said. “Everything falls off my slider. It’s fun to have that pitch back because I was almost a two-pitch pitcher before that.”

Foltynewicz has distanced himself past the concerns that developed when the bone spur forced him to miss most of Spring Training and delayed his season debut until April 27. When he takes the mound to face the Marlins on Sunday, he’ll be looking to prove Tuesday’s start was just a sign of things to come.

“Everyone wanted me to be where I was [last year], and I’m finally getting there,” Foltynewicz said. “It’s just taken a little longer than anybody wanted.”

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Supervising Club Reporter Mark Bowman has covered the Braves for MLB.com since 2001.