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Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images
Gwinnett scored big early, and Dodd was able to hang on to help them to a win (72-75) Gwinnett Stripers 9, (70-76) Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 4
Box Score
Statcast
Nacho Alvarez Jr, 3B: 1-4, .298/.402/.471
Drake Baldwin, DH: 1-4, BB, .294/.406/.481
Chadwick Tromp, C: 1-2, 3 BB, .310/.385/.467
Dylan Dodd, SP: 4 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Domingo Gonzalez, RP: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 3.41 ERA
Tyler Matzek, RP: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 4.76 ERA
Gwinnett made two quick outs in the top of the first inning, bringing up Drake Baldwin to face off against Patrick Monteverde — who has been tough on left-handed hitters this season. Baldwin waited out a first pitch curveball off of the plate, then got one out over the plate and turned on it to crack a 106 mph single into right field. This set off a torrent of two-out hits in the first inning, culminating in a three-run Luis Liberato home run that put the Stripers up 6-0 before the Jumbo Shrimp even took an at bat. Liberato came into his at bat amped up to get after Monteverde’s fastball, fouling off the first pitch before turning on one a few inches above the zone and crushing it over the right field wall. Monteverde would remain in through four innings though, and gave up only one more hit in the game. That came courtesy of Nacho Alvarez Jr., who Monteverde set up similarly in each of their matchups. He would pound Nacho with his fastball and cutter up and in, then once he got ahead in the count drop a changeup off of the plate on the outside edge leading to a couple of weak ground outs from Alvarez. Alvarez got another changeup in their third at bat and was waiting on it, and he punched a bloop single into right field.
For Baldwin, Monteverde didn’t give him another curveball in the game, instead opting to just mix fastballs and cutters at the top of the zone. Baldwin’s second matchup was a battle between the two, with Baldwin slapping a grounder over to shortstop in a 3-2 count for a ground out. Baldwin stayed aggressive on those fastballs in the top of the zone, but never quite got his barrel to one and in the third matchup with Monteverde was rung up on a cutter that clipped the outside corner. Against the bullpen both reached base once, with Alvarez getting hit by a pitch in the 7th inning. In the ninth inning he was still being peppered up and in with fastballs and sliders, but got a hanging one over the plate. Alvarez was able to lift a fly ball, but was behind on the pitch and flew it out to right field where it fell harmlessly into for a fly out. Baldwin on the other hand got sawed off by an inside slider in the seventh inning and grounded out, and that’s been one of the holes for him lately. Right handed pitchers have been able to beat him with sliders on the inside part of the plate, especially down and in, leading to a recent increase in whiffs and weak contact. As part of Gwinnett’s three-run ninth inning that put the game away Baldwin never saw a strike (at least, didn’t have any of them called strikes) and drew a walk that helped set off another rally. Raffi Vizcaino walked three straight Stripers to bring home one run, then Luke Waddell smacked his second run-scoring single of the day to score two and make it 9-4.
The Braves spent a lot of time this season seemingly trying to diversify Dylan Dodd’s pitch mix. They messed around with a sweeper, altered his changeup and delivery at times, moved him to the bullpen then back into the rotation, and overall created a situation primed for the inconsistency Dodd has shown this season. Development has stagnated for Dodd, and it’s gone back to the basics with him only working with three pitches at the moment and the release point discrepancy between pitches still proving problematic. Jacksonville crushed him when they made contact this game, including two home runs, though there were a few interesting aspects to his game that should be mentioned positively. Dodd did miss his fair share of bats, specifically with his fastball, where he showed some of his best command this season. He was able to place his fastball at and just above the top of the zone well, forcing swing and miss in those areas. He also landed his cutter well on the glove side just off of the plate, leading to even more chases and even more swing-and-miss. The early season velocity Dodd showed hasn’t held throughout the season, and with his changeup now becoming a distant third pitch a bullpen future may be his only way into a major league role. It’s going to be a question if Dodd is even tendered a contract this winter, but if he is it may be time for him to work in a relief role where his fastball has played up in past deployments.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Domingo Gonzalez, who despite working primarily as a single-inning reliever threw 44 pitches and three innings in this game. We’ve seen the Braves try to turn multiple relievers into starters over the past couple of seasons, and it’s possible they could be experimenting with the same treatment for Gonzalez who is Rule 5 eligible this winter. Gonzalez was previously an uninteresting starter in the Pirates system, but has switched up his fastball shape and improved his command in the Braves system so those results may not be relevant if that is the path they take. I’m skeptical, less that they are doing it and more so that it will be successful, as he still lacks the finer points of command and a third pitch both of which would likely be necessary for him to stick as a starter. His fastball and slider are legitimately above average and I do think he’s a big leaguer next year, though I think it will be as a reliever. The other possibility is the Braves are just using this as a chance to get him more innings or to fill up innings to end out the season. Gonzalez threw three scoreless innings but also walked two batters and hit another with a pitch. In his extended outings in his past two appearances his whiff rates have dropped significantly as well.
Swing and Misses
Dylan Dodd - 16
Domingo Gonzalez - 5
<img alt="Milwaukee Brewers v Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HSV1zn4muQApbsALx6w01rwIjk4=/0x0:7206x4804/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73598665/2165259725.0.jpg">
Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images
Gwinnett scored big early, and Dodd was able to hang on to help them to a win (72-75) Gwinnett Stripers 9, (70-76) Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 4
Box Score
Statcast
Nacho Alvarez Jr, 3B: 1-4, .298/.402/.471
Drake Baldwin, DH: 1-4, BB, .294/.406/.481
Chadwick Tromp, C: 1-2, 3 BB, .310/.385/.467
Dylan Dodd, SP: 4 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Domingo Gonzalez, RP: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 3.41 ERA
Tyler Matzek, RP: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 4.76 ERA
Gwinnett made two quick outs in the top of the first inning, bringing up Drake Baldwin to face off against Patrick Monteverde — who has been tough on left-handed hitters this season. Baldwin waited out a first pitch curveball off of the plate, then got one out over the plate and turned on it to crack a 106 mph single into right field. This set off a torrent of two-out hits in the first inning, culminating in a three-run Luis Liberato home run that put the Stripers up 6-0 before the Jumbo Shrimp even took an at bat. Liberato came into his at bat amped up to get after Monteverde’s fastball, fouling off the first pitch before turning on one a few inches above the zone and crushing it over the right field wall. Monteverde would remain in through four innings though, and gave up only one more hit in the game. That came courtesy of Nacho Alvarez Jr., who Monteverde set up similarly in each of their matchups. He would pound Nacho with his fastball and cutter up and in, then once he got ahead in the count drop a changeup off of the plate on the outside edge leading to a couple of weak ground outs from Alvarez. Alvarez got another changeup in their third at bat and was waiting on it, and he punched a bloop single into right field.
For Baldwin, Monteverde didn’t give him another curveball in the game, instead opting to just mix fastballs and cutters at the top of the zone. Baldwin’s second matchup was a battle between the two, with Baldwin slapping a grounder over to shortstop in a 3-2 count for a ground out. Baldwin stayed aggressive on those fastballs in the top of the zone, but never quite got his barrel to one and in the third matchup with Monteverde was rung up on a cutter that clipped the outside corner. Against the bullpen both reached base once, with Alvarez getting hit by a pitch in the 7th inning. In the ninth inning he was still being peppered up and in with fastballs and sliders, but got a hanging one over the plate. Alvarez was able to lift a fly ball, but was behind on the pitch and flew it out to right field where it fell harmlessly into for a fly out. Baldwin on the other hand got sawed off by an inside slider in the seventh inning and grounded out, and that’s been one of the holes for him lately. Right handed pitchers have been able to beat him with sliders on the inside part of the plate, especially down and in, leading to a recent increase in whiffs and weak contact. As part of Gwinnett’s three-run ninth inning that put the game away Baldwin never saw a strike (at least, didn’t have any of them called strikes) and drew a walk that helped set off another rally. Raffi Vizcaino walked three straight Stripers to bring home one run, then Luke Waddell smacked his second run-scoring single of the day to score two and make it 9-4.
The Braves spent a lot of time this season seemingly trying to diversify Dylan Dodd’s pitch mix. They messed around with a sweeper, altered his changeup and delivery at times, moved him to the bullpen then back into the rotation, and overall created a situation primed for the inconsistency Dodd has shown this season. Development has stagnated for Dodd, and it’s gone back to the basics with him only working with three pitches at the moment and the release point discrepancy between pitches still proving problematic. Jacksonville crushed him when they made contact this game, including two home runs, though there were a few interesting aspects to his game that should be mentioned positively. Dodd did miss his fair share of bats, specifically with his fastball, where he showed some of his best command this season. He was able to place his fastball at and just above the top of the zone well, forcing swing and miss in those areas. He also landed his cutter well on the glove side just off of the plate, leading to even more chases and even more swing-and-miss. The early season velocity Dodd showed hasn’t held throughout the season, and with his changeup now becoming a distant third pitch a bullpen future may be his only way into a major league role. It’s going to be a question if Dodd is even tendered a contract this winter, but if he is it may be time for him to work in a relief role where his fastball has played up in past deployments.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Domingo Gonzalez, who despite working primarily as a single-inning reliever threw 44 pitches and three innings in this game. We’ve seen the Braves try to turn multiple relievers into starters over the past couple of seasons, and it’s possible they could be experimenting with the same treatment for Gonzalez who is Rule 5 eligible this winter. Gonzalez was previously an uninteresting starter in the Pirates system, but has switched up his fastball shape and improved his command in the Braves system so those results may not be relevant if that is the path they take. I’m skeptical, less that they are doing it and more so that it will be successful, as he still lacks the finer points of command and a third pitch both of which would likely be necessary for him to stick as a starter. His fastball and slider are legitimately above average and I do think he’s a big leaguer next year, though I think it will be as a reliever. The other possibility is the Braves are just using this as a chance to get him more innings or to fill up innings to end out the season. Gonzalez threw three scoreless innings but also walked two batters and hit another with a pitch. In his extended outings in his past two appearances his whiff rates have dropped significantly as well.
Swing and Misses
Dylan Dodd - 16
Domingo Gonzalez - 5
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