"With that arsenal that he's got, he can be a force for a long time" - Braves manager heaps praise on starter Kyle Wright after pitching gem keep Braves WS defence alive
Kyle Wright was called upon to start for the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night. The team lost Game 1 of their NLDS series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday. Another loss would've put them in a 2-0 hole, and had them facing elimination in Game 3.
The young pitcher was calm and stoic in a high-pressure situation. It was a must-win game for the Braves, and he delivered in a big way.
Wright looked in command from the moment he stepped on the mound. His impressive start was enough to lead the Braves to a 3-0 win and tie the series at 1-1. He allowed just two hits and struck out six batters in six scoreless innings. He threw a total of 83 pitches in the outing.
Braves manager Brian Snitker was complimentary of Wright after the game. He believes in his potential to be a great pitcher:
"With that arsenal that he's got, he can be a force for a long time," said Snitker
Snitker realizes that this is just the beginning for Wright. The 27-year-old right-hander is in his fifth MLB season. He just became a regular in the Braves' starting rotation this year. He pitched in only 21 combined games in his first four seasons. This season, he made 30 starts.
Kyle Wright has pitched 25 innings vs. the Phillies this year.
He only allowed 10 hits - 2 of them tonight.
"Kyle Wright has pitched 25 innings vs. the Phillies this year.He only allowed 10 hits - 2 of them tonight." - Jayson Stark
Wright had an impressive 21-5 record in 2022. He was the only player in the MLB with 20 or more wins. He ranked top 10 in the National League in strikeouts, and home runs allowed among qualified pitchers.
Kyle Wright pitched 6 scoreless innings to lead the Atlanta Braves to victory in game 2 of the NLDS
Kyle Wright is already throwing like a veteran. He posted an impressive 3.19 ERA and 1.16 WHIP over 180.1 innings pitched in the regular season. He amassed 174 strikeouts and held opposing hitters to a .232 batting average.
Wright has five pitches in his arsenal that he uses regularly. He is known for his deceptive curveball. He also relies heavily on his sinker and fastball. Wright throws a changeup and slider approximately 23% of the time.
Kyle Wright is continuing his dominance into the postseason https://t.co/feI8SDm0bc
"Kyle Wright is continuing his dominance into the postseason" - Talkin' Baseball
The Atlanta Braves are known for producing great starting pitchers. In the 1990's, it was Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, and Tom Glavine. In the 2020's, it is Max Fried, Spencer Strider, and Kyle Wright.
The Braves hope that having one of the strongest pitching cores in the league will carry them to another World Series. Wright is already aware of the pressure of pitching in October. He pitched two games in last season's World Series and was a valuable member of the championship team.
If the Braves have any chance of repeating, Wright will have to continue his dominance on the mound.