Julio Teheran allowed a career-worst 31 homers back in 2017, but gopher balls are flying out at an even more rapid pace against the Atlanta Braves starter this year.
Teheran, who will face the Miami Marlins in Sunday’s series finale as the Braves go for a three-game sweep, averaged 1.5 homers per nine innings in that 2017 season. This year, that rate is up to 1.9, and Teheran gave up three solo homers in his most recent start, this past Tuesday against the San Diego Padres.
The Braves lost that game 4-3, and it was the third straight loss for Teheran (2-4, 5.35 ERA). The irony is that Teheran pitched well overall against the Padres. He lasted seven innings, struck out eight and walked one. And, aside from those homers, he allowed just two hits and one run.
Teheran, who last week became just the ninth Braves pitcher ever to start 200 games for the franchise, blamed San Diego’s Franmil Reyes for that Padres loss. Reyes homered twice and hit an RBI double.
“One guy kind of changed the face of the game,” Teheran said.
Teheran, who will be facing the Marlins for the first time this year, allowed six runs in two of his three starts against Miami last season. Overall against the Marlins last season, he went 1-1 with a 10.05 ERA.
For his career at Marlins Park, Teheran, 28, is 5-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 10 starts. Overall, against the Marlins, he is 7-6 with a 4.28 ERA in 20 starts.
Teheran will be opposed on Sunday by Marlins right-hander Pablo Lopez, 23, who will be making his 17th career start. For his career, he is 4-8 with a 4.37 ERA, including 2-4 this season with a 4.78 ERA.
Lopez has faced the Braves three times in his brief career, and he has lost all three. One of those starts was this year as Lopez lost to the Braves 4-0 on April 5. He allowed seven hits, one walk and four runs in five innings.
Overall against the Braves, Lopez is 0-3 with a 5.63 ERA.
Lopez could catch a break on Sunday if the Braves rest some of their starters such as third baseman Josh Donaldson and catcher Brian McCann, given that it will be a day game after a night game.
Donaldson missed three games with a sore right calf and then returned to the lineup Friday and Saturday.
“He had been swinging the bat great, and then his calf tightened up,” Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman said when asked about Donaldson’s RBI double against hard-throwing Marlins reliever Tayron Guerrero on Friday.
“That was pretty phenomenal what he did against Guerrero. A guy throwing 100 (mph) and to turn on a heater like that — you know you are feeling good.”
Manager Brian Snitker, though, said Donaldson is not quite 100 percent, which lends to the possibility he may rest on Sunday. On Saturday, Donaldson went 0-for-6 and made a throwing error.
“He was guarded a little bit as far as the running part,” Snitker said. “He’s going to do what he can after missing three days to get his body back. The big thing is that he said (his injury) felt good.”
As for the Marlins, one hitter to watch is left fielder Peter O’Brien, who was recalled from Triple-A New Orleans on Saturday.
O’Brien, who starred locally at the University of Miami, has plus power but has struggled to make consistent contact in the majors. The 28-year-old has 11 homers in 167 major league at-bats but is hitting just .133.
“He’s fairly streaky,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “Hopefully, we’re catching him on a good streak.”