Atlanta Braves news: Key starter adds a new weapon at Spring Training
By Mark Powell
Atlanta Braves news: Starting pitcher Ian Anderson brought some new tools to spring training, in the form of added pitches to his arsenal.
Given how last season went for Ian Anderson, something had to change. The young right-handed pitcher had a 5.00 ERA in 22 starts and was left off the postseason roster for a Braves team that had a weakness in the rotation.
This year, Anderson is battling with Micahel Soroka for the No. 5 rotation spot. Soroka has issues of his own, namely durability, but both enter the 2023 season with plenty of unknowns.
Anderson’s pitch strategy revolves primarily around his fastball and changeup, but this year he’s expected to add a slider to the mix.
The Braves' Ian Anderson has added a slider to his fastball and changeup -- something that was needed -- and the coaching staff is encouraged by what they are seeing in his early spring work.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) February 21, 2023
Anderson made history in 2021, becoming only the third pitcher to record an ERA of 1.50 or less over right postseason starts. In 2022, he never got the chance to add to that total.
“It was a good reset,” Anderson said. “I’m not glad it happened. But I think it will be a positive in the long run.”
Atlanta Braves news: Ian Anderson add to his arsenal
Anderson and Soroka, good friends off the diamond, will battle for the final spot in the Braves rotation. Soroka has been slowed with a hamstring injury, essentially the story of his career, allowing Anderson to thrive in his absence. Brian Snitker is confident that Anderson can bounce back from his tough 2022, as he already looks like his old self.
“He’s not the first and he won’t be the last that experiences something like this,” Snitker said. “It’s just part of the game. A lot of them have had to do that.”
Anderson believes his delivery was primarily to blame for his poor showing last season. With that now taken care of, the former NL Rookie of the Year candidate projects to be a sound bounceback candidate come April.
“My delivery was in a bad spot,” Anderson said. “It just wasn’t letting me do what I wanted to with the ball. I really don’t know how it happened. If I did, I could have figured it out earlier. I don’t know if it was pitching late into the season with the World Series and then coming back last year and picking up a ball and just thinking it was going to happen. I really don’t know.”
Whatever it was, Anderson appears to be back on track now, 162 games later.
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