Atlanta Braves Opening Day countdown: 42, Mahler

Through the tough times of the 1980s, the Atlanta Braves still had one constant in their rotation.

The Atlanta Braves struggled through the 1980s. There was one bright spot on the team’s pitching staff throughout that difficult decade, righty Rick Mahler.

Mahler was not drafted out of college, but the Atlanta Braves snagged him in 1975 as an undrafted free agent. He took some time to work his way to the big leagues, getting just a couple cups of coffee in 1979 and 1980 before making his big impact in 1981.

Even though the 1981 season was significantly impacted by the labor issues, Mahler was able to appear in 34 games, starting 14 of them. He totaled 112 1/3 innings, posting a 2.80 ERA.

He would make 39 appearances in 1982, 33 of them as a starter, tossing 205 1/3 innings. Mahler posted a 4.21 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Though he spent much of the 1983 season in AAA after losing his rotation spot in spring training and struggling early in the year out of the bullpen, he was back in 1984 as one of the better pitchers in the entire National League, posting a 3.12 ERA over 222 innings split between 29 starts and 9 relief appearances.

More from Tomahawk Take

• Atlanta Braves History: How the Red Stockings became the Braves
• Braves News: Atlanta Braves acquire Eli White from the Texas Rangers
• Atlanta Braves Swing Trade with the New York Yankees for Lucas Luetge
• Atlanta Braves 2012 Top Prospects Review: Zeke Spruill
• Braves News: Atlanta extends Sean Murphy, pitcher reunions, more

Mahler would lead the league in 1985 and 1986 in games started, using his contact-oriented pitching approach to rack up 13 complete games in that two-year span. He would struggle in 1987 as offense exploded across the league, but rebounded in 1988 with a 3.69 ERA over 249 innings, though the poor Atlanta Braves team led to a 9-16 record.

He would go to the Cincinnati Reds as a free agent after the 1988 season and then to the Expos to open the 1991 year. He pitched his final games of his big league career in the heat of the summer of 1991 season for the Atlanta Braves, a fitting end for the guy who was consistently part of the team through the gloomy days to be able to help in the season that lifted the organization into its longest sustained time of success.

The Braves released him in August of 1991. He ended up with a total of 307 games pitched for the Atlanta Braves franchise, 218 of them starts. He tossed 1,558 2/3 innings, with a 79-89 record, 4.00 ERA, and a 1.38 WHIP over his Braves career.

Mahler would end up known for his (at times) long, flowing locks and donning a notable mustache throughout his career. Mahler ranks 24th in franchise history in wins, 21st in pitcher bWAR, 20th in innings, 22nd in strikeouts, and 15th in games started among all Atlanta Braves franchise arms.