Mike Foltynewicz’s 2019 season for the Atlanta Braves was an interesting one to say the least. The 28-year-old righty — who broke out to top-of-the-rotation proportions in 2018 —struggled early to get right after opening the season on the injured list.
Foltynewicz didn’t throw a pitch this MLB season until April 27. It wasn’t a pretty start, but few first starts off the IL are. It wasn’t just that start, however: Folty allowed 19 runs in his first four outings. By the end of June, he found himself in the Gwinnett rotation, where he seemed to find that old magic, lowering his ERA nearly two full points from the beginning of August to the end of September.