For all the talk about how the Braves starting pitching was going to be a problem, it sure hasn’t looked like it through the first two rounds of the playoffs. In five games, the Braves pitching staff has tossed four shutouts, mostly on the backs of Max Fried, Ian Anderson, and Kyle Wright. And the latter two accomplished something pretty special yesterday once Wright was pulled after six innings of scoreless ball against the Marlins.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Ian Anderson and Kyle Wright became the first two rookie starting pitchers in postseason history to put together back-to-back scoreless outings.
Kyle Wright threw 6 scoreless innings today after Ian Anderson threw 5 2/3 scoreless yesterday.
According to @EliasSports, the @Braves are the first team in postseason history to have rookies with back-to-back scoreless starts. pic.twitter.com/HeVXVsOOb2
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 8, 2020
Now, I’m not sure how many postseason rotations have ever even featured two rookies, let alone in back-to-back games. However, any time you can do something for the first time in a sport that has been around for well over 100 years, you’ve accomplished something pretty special.
With these two young arms looking like seasoned veterans at just the right time, the Braves rotation woes seem like a thing of a past, and perhaps their starting pitching can even be considered a strength as they prepare for their NLCS matchup against the Dodgers. That being said, Los Angeles’ offense will be a far more challenging test for the entire Atlanta pitching staff. If the Braves want to pull off the upset, Anderson and Wright must be at the top of their game.
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