The Braves lost a disappointing game to the Phillies in extra innings on Wednesday afternoon after a valiant comeback. They’ve now lost five of their last six games with October around the corner, and some fans are beginning to become uneasy. The reality is this most recent stretch means very little to the Braves chances in the playoffs, but someone that could have a positive effect is Jesse Chavez, who made his first appearance in the majors since June 14th on Wednesday and pitched splendidly.
Jesse Chavez relieved Bryce Elder in the fourth inning and picked up right where he left off pre-injury, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings and allowing just one hit and one walk. The Phillies were up 4-0 when he entered the game, and by the time he exited, the Braves had cut the lead in half before going on to tie the game in the eighth.
There are a lot of questions about the back-end of the Braves bullpen, but getting Chavez back should ease much of the concerns. He looked exactly like the guy who posted a 1.55 ERA before he was struck in the leg with a line drive off the bat of Miguel Cabrera, spotting his fastball brilliantly and inducing lots of soft contact.
Jesse Chavez will be apart of the Braves postseason roster. There’s little doubt about that, and from what we saw today, he could be utilized quite often in October. That’s a much more important development than the actual game itself.
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Photo: Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire
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