Braves Rumors: Dansby Swanson mistake, Jared Shuster here to stay, trade talk
By Mark Powell
Braves Rumors: Is Jared Shuster here to stay?
Atlanta Braves talented left-handed pitcher Jared Shuster finally proved he belongs in the big leagues on Tuesday night, going five innings and allowing just three earned runs. His start was even more impressive than that, as he carried a no-hitter through three innings before facing the heart of the Texas Rangers lineup for the second time.
That will be the next step for Shuster — finding ways to mix up his pitch selection as to not become so predictable to opposing lineups their second time through. Good hitters, such as the Marcus Semiens of the world, tend to pick up on the tendencies of young pitchers.
“I just left a couple over the plate,” Shuster said. “[The Rangers] have some good hitters over there, so they are gonna do a good job on those pitches. But other than those three [runs], I’m happy with the way I adjusted out there.”
Still, even Shuster, who is notoriously hard on himself, had to admit he felt much better about this start than his few outings to open the season.
“[I think I did] much better,” said Shuster. “I was able to make adjustments, and I felt more comfortable out there, so I’m happy with it.”
The question remains, though: Will the Braves keep Shuster in the big leagues, or send him back down to Gwinnett? The way Shuster was pitching in Triple-A didn’t look like a hurler who needed more work. Atlanta knows more than we do. Even with their lack of pitching depth at the moment, it’s not worth messing with one of the best young starters in the National League.