Spencer Schwellenbach strikes out 11 in Braves’ win over Mets

NEW YORK — Given the limited experience he’s had above the high school level, you could accurately label many of Spencer Schwellenbach’s first 10 big league starts as the “biggest games” he’s ever experienced.

But as good as Schwellenbach has been since making a surprising arrival near the end of May, he was at his best on what might have been a big swing day for the Braves. The rookie right-hander tallied a career-high 11 strikeouts in a 4-0 win over the Mets on Saturday afternoon at Citi Field.

“That was obviously his best game of the year, but it feels like he’s improved every time out,” Braves catcher Sean Murphy said. “I don’t say that lightly. I feel like he’s gotten more comfortable and we’ve narrowed it in with what we want to do with him. We needed this one today and Spencer took care of it.”

Schwellenbach allowed just two hits over seven scoreless innings as the Braves snapped a six-game losing streak and regained a half-game lead over the Mets in the National League Wild Card race. The stoic hurler became just the fifth pitcher in franchise history to record a 10-plus-strikeout game within the first 10 appearances of his career.

“It’s probably an understatement that we needed a win today,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

Schwellenbach rose to the occasion. His four-seam fastball touched a season-high 98.3 mph and averaged 96.8 mph. He had touched exactly 98 mph with just two previous pitches this year. His four-seamer hadn’t averaged higher than 96.2 mph (June 5 at Boston) during any of his previous nine starts.

But Schwellenbach’s dominance was primarily aided by a nasty slider. The Mets whiffed with eight of 11 swings against this breaking ball.

“Whenever he’s up against a good offense, he takes it to another level,” Murphy said. “Again, super impressive.”

Along with being efficient, Schwellenbach’s effort was also timely. A sense of urgency was felt as the Braves entered Saturday having lost nine of their past 12 games. This team gained the emotional lift it needed from a guy who was the University of Nebraska’s shortstop and closer three years ago.

“Four years ago, I didn’t think I’d be pitching,” Schwellenbach said. “This is just crazy.”

Schwellenbach didn’t pitch for the Cornhuskers before he went to his Michigan home during the 2020 COVID shutdown and began throwing to a target he constructed from an old hockey net. He impressed as Nebraska’s closer the next year, got drafted by the Braves in the second round and then missed 2022 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

It didn’t look like Schwellenbach would factor into this year’s plans. He started his pro career last year, when he combined to make 16 starts across two Minor League levels. He made eight more starts this year before being promoted. So, when he joined Atlanta’s rotation on May 29, he had totaled 24 starts, just two above the High-A level.

“I kind of viewed him as being not as polished a pitcher, just from hearing his backstory,” said Matt Olson, who went deep in the fourth inning as part of back-to-back homers with Marcell Ozuna. “But, that’s clearly not the case. He’s been impressive.”

Schwellenbach has posted a 4.06 ERA through his first 10 career starts. He joins the Pirates’ Jared Jones (2024) and the Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka (2014) as the only MLB pitchers to record 60-plus strikeouts with 10 or fewer walks through their first 10 career outings since at least 1901.

“I’ve seen young guys do special things, but his whole body of work has been so good,” Snitker said. “Today, he was staying with his delivery, free and easy, the ball was just jumping out of his hand.”

Schwellenbach has been making strides going back to April 7, when he tossed six scoreless innings for the High-A Rome Emperors against the Hickory Crawdads. The competition has gotten stronger, but the brighter lights haven’t fazed the former shortstop.

This might have been Schwellenbach’s biggest game so far. But he also came up big on July 6, when he limited the NL East-leading Phillies to one run over six innings. He limited the playoff-hopeful Padres to one run over seven innings six days later.

“There’s no fear involved,” Olson said. “He goes right at guys. He throws strikes and knows what kind of pitches to make when [hitters] expand a little bit. I’m sure having experience as a hitter helps him with that.”

Is Schwellenbach surprised by how well he has done thus far?

“I’m a confident person,” Schwellenbach said. “I expect to throw good every time I get the ball. I think that’s why I’ve had success. So, I’m not surprised.”