After a stellar start to the season, the Braves pitching staff has been holding on for dear life for a couple of months now. That said, I think it’s fair to say pitching coach Jeremy Hefner is squeezing out about as much as he possibly can with what he’s been given.
The reality is guys like Martin Perez, Bryce Elder, Reynaldo Lopez, and Grant Holmes were never supposed to make this many starts. The Braves entered Spring Training expecting a lot from Spencer Schwellenbach, Hurston Waldrep, and Spencer Strider — a trio that’s provided absolutely no value thanks to injuries and inconsistencies.
The fact that the Braves are six games ahead of the Phillies for first place in the NL East, with several pitchers having unexpected career years, is a testament to the impact Hefner’s had on the club — something Phillies star Bryce Harper apparently saw coming when it was announced Atlanta had stolen him right from under the fingertips of the New York Mets.
In a recent podcast appearance alongside Mookie Betts, Harper gave Hefner the ultimate compliment while throwing some shade at the team in Queens — always a fun activity, even coming from one of the Braves’ biggest rivals.
“Once Jeremy Hefner left (the Mets) and went to the Braves… I was like oh no….crap”
-Bryce Harper on the Braves hiring Jeremy Hefner. pic.twitter.com/T2IVrbiVOe
— MattOlsonsBurner (@ChoppinBravos) July 25, 2026
As a whole, the Braves pitching staff ranks third in the National League in ERA at 3.67, an incredible turnaround from last year, when the team ranked 11th and was giving up nearly a run more per game.
Jeremy Hefner came to Atlanta with a reputation as one of the brightest young pitching minds in the game — a title that’s proving to be well deserved. Now it’s time for Alex Anthopoulos to do his job at the trade deadline and get this guy some real firepower to work with.
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(Photo by David John Griffin/Icon Sportswire)