ATLANTA -- Though defending their division title remains the priority, the Braves will spend the next few weeks getting a feel for whether their postseason plans should include the likes of
It was unfortunate Foltynewicz was unable to continue after allowing two hits and pitching around three walks with the help of three ground-ball double plays, which matched the season total he carried into the outing. He wasn’t as impressive as he was while limiting the Mets to two hits over seven innings on Aug. 23. But he was more efficient than he’d been while lasting just 4 2/3 innings against the Dodgers on Aug. 17 and against the Blue Jays on Aug. 28.\n\n• [Joyce, Swanson combine for smooth double slide](https://www.mlb.com/braves/news/braves-double-slide-matt-joyce-dansby-swanson)\n\n“I did everything I could today,” Foltynewicz said. “I ate well. You drink your stuff before a game, during a game and all that. It just happens sometimes with the heat down here. But I battled, got through it and feel a ton better now.”\n\nThere wasn’t necessarily reason to question whether Snitker limited Foltynewicz to 76 pitches for health reasons. With an expanded roster providing [enhanced bullpen depth](https://www.mlb.com/braves/news/braves-call-up-bryse-wilson-a-j-minter), it made sense to pull the 27-year-old right-hander, who has struggled when attempting to go through a lineup for a third time.
Foltynewicz has produced a 3.31 ERA in the six starts he’s made since returning to the Majors. During the past five starts he’d made entering Tuesday, he limited opponents to a .235 batting average and .661 OPS the first two times through the order. Opponents hit .367 with a 1.124 OPS against him the third time through the order.\n\n“When the playoffs come around you don’t have as many chances to be around as long,” Foltynewicz said. “But you’re still trying to win ballgames. Washington is still on our butts. You want to go out there and save the bullpen by just going out there and eating as many innings as you can. That’s your job as a starting pitcher.”\n\nAs the Braves make plans for their postseason pitching staff, they will evaluate performances over the season’s final weeks, opponents and splits, which include the results garnered when navigating a lineup for a third time.
Here’s a look at how each of the Braves starters’ have fared dating back to Aug. 1:\n\n_OPS first two times through a lineup:_ Soroka (.571), Fried (.626), Foltynewicz (.654), Keuchel (.701), Teheran (.758) \n_OPS the third time through a lineup:_ Teheran (.532), Soroka (.823), Fried (.875), Keuchel (.943), Foltynewicz (1.124)\n\nObviously, Foltynewicz is far from the only starter the Braves would be reluctant to push too far, and it’s certainly surprising to see Teheran has recently been the most effective the third time through the order.\n\nRegardless of who fills the rotation, there’s seemingly a need for the Braves to carry at least one reliever capable of completing multiple innings to bridge the gap to the primary relievers during the postseason.