Since being called up last season, Braves right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach has absolutely dominated the Mets, raising the question: does he deserve an All-Star nod?
Schwellenbach wasn’t enough to fully erase the pain of the Braves losing Chris Sale to a fractured rib or dropping a series to Miami, but he certainly helped right the ship with a 3–2 win at Citi Field on Monday. Braves manager Brian Snitker gushed, “Nothing surprises me with him anymore… It’s not a small sample anymore. You come to expect it, and I think he expects it. He’s just so focused.”
Schwellenbach, who leads the majors with 103⅔ innings, ranks third in the NL with a 0.99 WHIP and 13th with a 3.21 ERA. He’s been especially tough on the Mets, allowing just one solo home run and posting a 2.06 ERA over his first five starts against them. His consistency has helped the Braves win 27 of their last 37 matchups with New York, including every game they’ve played this season.
Ronald Acuña Jr. praised him through a translator: “Every time I’ve seen him pitch, I feel like he’s continued to do an amazing job.” As for Schwellenbach himself, he stayed firmly planted on the field this season rather than eyeing All-Star glory. “That would be awesome, but we’ve got games to win here right now,” he said.
Meanwhile, his teammate Dylan Lee closed out the game, earning the save and salvaging the Braves’ bullpen credibility after a long dry spell. But this night — and the NL East series — belonged to Schwellenbach. With five starts of exactly seven innings and 21 innings, with just two earned runs over last year’s matchups with the Mets, he’s become the undisputed Mets-killer.
Schwellenbach broke into the majors after the Braves drafted him as a converted shortstop from Nebraska, surviving Tommy John rehab to secure a starter’s role in 2023. Armed with a six-pitch mix, he’s quietly turned into one of baseball’s best young hurlers. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza praised his adaptability, noting a clever uptick in his sinker usage.
So… should Schwellenbach be an All-Star? When asked, Acuña didn’t hesitate: “Yes sir, for sure.”
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