Braves pitcher Felix Hernandez says he’s healthy, feels good

Felix Hernandez turned around with surprise as he sensed media waiting to engage him.

“You want to talk to me?” the new Atlanta Braves pitcher asked.

Yes. Former Cy Young winners have a way of drawing interest.

Hernandez’s presence is one of the early sub plots for the defending National League East Division champions. Free-agent acquisition Cole Hamels, pegged No. 4 in the team’s rotation, may miss three weeks of camp with shoulder soreness. There already had been an expected duel for the No. 5 spot between Hernandez, Sean Newcomb, Kyle Wright and recently signed Josh Tomlin.

The Braves worked out their pitchers and catchers for the first time Thursday. Position players aren’t required to attend until next week.

The No. 4 and 5 starter spots are important because the Braves hit the ground running with their schedule. They open at Arizona on March 26, which will start a stretch where they have just one day off in their first 25 games.

“I’m not concerned,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “We’re farther along than a year ago when we had injuries to our starting pitching. We have 160 more innings of experience so we’re better served to fill those roles than last year.”

A smiling Hernandez said he’s healthy and dropped a few pounds from his 225-pound frame.

“I feel really good, no complaints, now I have to go out and do my thing,” he said.

From 2009-2015, Hernandez was one of the best pitchers in baseball for the Seattle Mariners. He won 104 games in those years, always threw more than 200 innings and ranked in top 10 for Cy Young Award voting seven times.

In 2010, Hernandez earned his Cy Young after he pitched almost 250 innings while having an earned-run average of 2.27. He walked 70 and struck out 232.

Braves ace Mike Soroka said, “It’s going to be cool to watch him. You see what he did every year. He pitched 240 innings. He has a chance to be in the Hall of Fame. And he still wants to be out there.”

However, the last two years have been rough for “The King.”

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker, right, and bench coach Walt Weiss watch from a golf cart as the pitchers and catchers get loose during spring training baseball camp Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020, in North Port, Fla.

Cody Rhodes yells out in the ring during his match against Darby Allin during an All Elite Wrestling show in Jacksonville, Florida. Rhodes, an east Cobb County native and Lassiter High School graduate, will bring AEW to State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Wednesday.