The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TODAY’S GAME
Braves at Yankees, 1:05, 1340, 103.7
ALSO INSIDE
■ Upbeat Teheran tries to bounce back from 2018,
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. — Julio Teheran began 2018 in his customary role of drum major, leading the Braves into another season. For the fifth straight time, he was handed the trust of being the opening day pitcher. That role was becoming as permanent as a tattoo.
He ended it banished to the bullpen, appearing only to mop up the spill of a lost playoff at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the youth movement seizing the Braves’ pitching staff, he was yesterday’s news. He finished the season 9-9, with a 3.94 ERA and a career low in innings pitched (175⅔).
Any damaged feelings har- bored by the Braves high- est-paid pitcher have been kept well under wraps enter- ing 2019.
“I was happy with the way I was feeling last year, and that’s the way I wanted to come back,” he said Monday.
And it was an obviously happy Teheran in the club- house after his first main- field appearance of spring against Houston, working three innings. He showed traces of increased velocity on his fastball, a high of 94 mph flashing on the outfield scoreboard. And a surpris- ingly keen slider this soon – among his four strikeouts were a couple courtesy of a slider that froze the hitters.
“The first game, I wasn’t expecting it to be this good, but it was working good today,” he said.
As for the two-run home run Teheran gave up in the first, he put that on some spring training experimentation with his fastball. Noth- ing he’d try in a significant moment, he said. His line for the day: three innings; three hits; the two runs; no walks. “The ball was coming out of his hand really good,” manager Brian Snitker said.
Perhaps it was the prod- uct of intensified offseason workouts and the addition of a few more pounds of muscle. “Getting stronger, that’s the way I feel today,” Teheran said. “I was feeling really strong, had really strong mechanics. I’ve been working really hard to be in this form.”
He is not expected to make a sixth straight opening day start (the only Brave to do that was Warren Spahn). But “every spring training, every time I come back here I try to make the team, that’s my mindset,” he said. “This year is the same mentality. I know we got a bunch of guys with talent. I’m here to fight for my spot. I’m just happy. Happy that I feel good, feel healthy.”
In a heartening sign, Acuna homers: With a season in hand — and what a season — Ronald Acuna says he is feeling even more at ease than at this stage a year ago.
“I feel a little better, just the fact of a little more experience,” the National League’s reigning rookie of the year said through an interpreter Monday. “Obviously, I think my confidence is a little higher because of all the playing time and all the experience I had over the past year.”
Acuna hit his first homer of the spring Monday against the Astros, a blast to straightaway center in a 4-3 loss.
A few other details from Monday at spring training:
■ Snitker said shortstop Dansby Swanson, coming off wrist surgery, is expected to make his spring debut today in Tampa vs. the Yankees.
■ He added that starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (sore shoulder) got through pitch- ing his batting practice session in one piece Monday, and his next step would be a return to a regular spring training regimen if he reports pain-free today.
■ The Braves plan to put third baseman Josh Donaldson through “elevated drills” (situational base running, sliding) at camp today in order to test out his troublesome calf. “If he gets through all that we’ll reassess and go from there,” Snitker said.