The All-Star break gives the Gwinnett Braves rest, something the bullpen has desperately needed.
“We’re trying to get to the All-Star break by not using our bullpen up,” manager Dave Brundage said after a loss to Charlotte last weekend.
Five straight losses of three or more runs pushed the bullpen to its breaking point. Three days off can only help recovering arms.
MINOR SHOWS OUT …
One pitcher that was in the limelight during the All-Star break was Mike Minor. He pitched the fifth inning of the Futures Game. Minor threw 15 pitches, 11 of them for strikes and faced the minimum in a scoreless inning. The young left-hander is 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA for Gwinnett this year.
A familiar face was back on the field last Friday for the G-Braves. Centerfielder Nate McLouth made his first rehab start since suffering a concussion on June 9. In his first at bat he lined a single right up the middle and looked good until he was taken out in the fifth for precautionary reasons. “For being out for a month, I’d say Nate looked pretty healthy and hit the ball good,” Brundage said.
It is uncertain how long McLouth will be with Gwinnett, but the rumors are that it might be a couple weeks before he joins Atlanta.
“That is up to Frank Wren, it’s day-to-day,” added Brundage.
FRESH START …
The team will start the second half of the season on the road against the Buffalo Bisons. The first half ended with the G-Braves being swept by Charlotte and falling behind by 13.5 games in the IL South division.
If there is any storyline going into the series against Buffalo, it is the IL pitcher of the week last week, Todd Redmond will be facing the IL batter of the week, Lucas Duda. Duda hit five home runs in seven games, while Redmond allowed only one run in 13 innings. The four-game set with Buffalo is the start of an eight-game trip that ends in Scranton next week.
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