The chief contenders for the fifth starter job are Mike Foltynewicz (RHP, ATL), Aaron Blair (RHP, ATL) and Matt Wisler (RHP, ATL). Barring injury, it would be a shock to see anyone other than Foltynewicz open the season with the gig, but it’s still worth taking a closer look at the team’s pitching depth.
Foltynewicz quietly made strides in 2016. Though the 4.31 ERA and 1.30 WHIP aren’t impressive, he did a better job of throwing strikes and was able to reduce his walk rate (2015: 3.0 Ctl, 8.0 Dom in 87 IP; 2016: 2.6 Ctl, 8.1 Dom in 123 IP) while maintaining his swing-and-miss stuff.
It’s easy to overlook Blair after his dreadful rookie season, but it’s far too soon to write him off as a non-factor (7.59 ERA in 70 IP). The...
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