Before the season started, I personally had high hopes for Kyle Wright. I thought he would turn things around and become the pitcher we saw during the World Series. Still, not even I saw this coming:
I hope Kyle Wright starts 2022 in the rotation. I believe in his stuff, and he showed a lot of moxie in the World Series. It’s really turning into now or never, and I believe it’s going to be the former.
— SportsTalkATL Jake (1-0 in GOTYs) (@cantguardjake) March 23, 2022
This is why I haven’t given up on Kyle Wright. I know THIS pitcher is in there somewhere.
— SportsTalkATL Jake (1-0 in GOTYs) (@cantguardjake) October 28, 2021
Now, Wright has won 20 games — the first Atlanta pitcher to do so since Russ Ortiz in 2003:
Kyle Wright is the 7th #Braves 20-game winner since the club moved to Atlanta in 1966 and first since 2003.
Phil Niekro (1969, 1974, 1979)
Tom Glavine (1991, 1992, 1993, 1998, 2000)
Greg Maddux (1993)
John Smoltz (1996)
Denny Neagle (1997)
Russ Ortiz (2003)
Kyle Wright (2022) pic.twitter.com/hBmmn4Oo8O— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) September 25, 2022
I’ve long maintained that pitching wins are a bit of a misleading stat, empty calories if you will. Regardless, there’s no denying that Kyle Wright is a completely different pitcher, and TWENTY wins is a remarkable achievement. The proof is in Wright’s earned run average:
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2019: 8.69 ERA
2020: 5.21 ERA
2021: 9.95 ERA
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Before 2022, Wright’s highest win total for a season was… two. Both of them came during a COVID-shortened 2020 season. However, when Wright had to come out of the bullpen during the 2021 World Series, he looked way more confident than we had ever seen. Perhaps that came from pitching almost a whole season in AAA, and looking pretty good while doing it. He deserves his credit, 20 wins or not. He has really helped stabilize a Braves rotation that needed it with Ian Anderson‘s struggles. Hopefully, Wright can continue his good work into the playoffs.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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