Giving More Credit to Braves SP Bryce Elder is Overdue

Maybe more Atlanta Braves pitchers need to go out to Las Vegas and spend time with Greg Maddux. Anyone who takes even half the leap that Bryce Elder has taken this season would be satisfied with their progress.

Surely he would hit a snag when he faced the Dodgers, right? He said nay to that notion. He gave the Braves 5 2/3 scoreless innings, while striking out eight, which was tied for the second-most he’s had in a game this season.

He got into some trouble in the sixth inning, which ended his day, but Robert Suarez was able to come in and get out of that jam.

A highlight of the game was his 400th strikeout. For a time, many didn't want to give him the time in the majors to reach that point. Now, he's looking like he's given himself more than a chance to go way beyond this milestone.

It’s time he gets some more attention for his effort this season. Others have given him his due credit, but not all, especially outside of the local coverage.

Even I’m guilty of it. I made a case for Chris Sale’s Cy Young case not even two weeks ago, even when Elder was ahead of him in ERA this season. My gut at the time said that Sale would move ahead of Elder and others in the National League. That didn’t happen.

As a matter of fact, Elder now leads the National League with a 1.81 ERA. Even if those two unearned runs allowed against Arizona counted toward his ERA, since it was his throwing error, he would still have the fifth-best ERA (2.14).

His 1.01 WHIP is eighth, and hitters are batting just .180 against him. That’s the fifth-best in the National League. According to Baseball Savant, his pitching run value is in the 100th percentile. He is the best in this metric. His fastball run value sits in the 98th percentile, and the breaking ball run value sits in the 97th percentile.

At one point, it goes from being a hot start to being a trend. Nine starts is a trend. There’s no longer looking back on his All-Star 2023 season. This the best we’ve seen from him.

He’s due for another trip to the Midsummer Classic. He and a large number of his teammates are due. It really will feel like 2023 all over again.

I’m going to wait until after the All-Star Break to do another Cy Young discussion, but if you’re already making one for him, I get it. He’s been that good.

The slider has become lethal, and the cutter has been a solid addition to combat left-handed batters. He may not get a lot of whiffs, but he induces a high rate of weak contact. His fastball velocity is still on the low end, but he mixes his pitches like it’s a chess game. The Maddux influence is there in that regard.

Bryce Elder truthers knew it the whole time. He was an innings eater to many for a couple of seasons. Now, he’s a workhorse, by the modern definition. You can trust him to get six or seven high-caliber innings. Maybe he’ll throw a Maddux sometime this season. Wouldn’t that be something knowing who has been in his ear?

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