Atlanta Braves players of the month after a successful June

Kyle Wright

The breakout of Kyle Wright has been one of the best stories of 2022 so far. He dominated in April, finishing with a 1.13 ERA in his first four starts. He also helped start the 14 game winning streak on June 1st by pitching six shutout innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Wright followed that game up with arguably the best start of his career, pitching eight innings and allowing just two runs while striking out seven against the Oakland A’s.

His next three starts were rough, as he allowed a combined 12 earned runs, but he finished the month strong last night against the Phillies by tossing seven innings of one run ball.

On the year, Wright is 9-4 with a 3.03 ERA, 2.1 fWAR, and a 9.4 K/9 rate. He has built a nice resume for a potential All Star selection, and if he keeps up his pace, he could be a fixture in the Atlanta rotation for years to come.

Max Fried

Not much needs to be said about Max Fried at this point. He is the undisputed ace of this pitching staff and consistently pitches well in his starts, especially in big games.

In his five June starts, Fried pitched 33.1 innings and allowed just eight earned runs while striking out 35 hitters. On the year, he is 7-2 with a 2.77 ERA.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Fried was the “best left hander in the game.” Roberts received confirmation of that on June 26th, when Fried pitched 6.2 innings and allowed just two earned runs and struck out nine Dodger hitters in a 5-3 win for Atlanta. This game, along with the entire series, had a playoff atmosphere, something that Fried thrives in.

Collin McHugh

The Braves bullpen in 2022 has been one of the best in the league. They currently lead the National League with a 3.05 bullpen ERA (via Covers.com). Kenley Jansen has 20 saves in his first year as a Brave, AJ Minter’s 2021 postseason performance has carried over, and newcomer Jackson Stephens, who had a Matzek-like route back to the big leagues, has had a solid year.

Collin McHugh is the one I will highlight, as he had a dominant month of June. The veteran has pitched in seven games this month and has an ERA of 1.50. He also has 19 strikeouts in 12 innings.

Overall, McHugh has a 3.19 ERA in 25 appearances. According to Baseball Savant, he ranks high in several MLB percentile rankings, such as K%, chase rate, and whiff rate. McHugh was one of the more underrated signings by the Braves last offseason, and so far it has paid off.

Another honorable mention to rookie Spencer Strider. After beginning the season in the bullpen, the flamethrower has settled in to a spot in the rotation. In his six starts, Strider has pitched to a 2.80 ERA and 42 strikeouts. He pitched his best game against the Dodgers on Sunday, going six innings without allowing a run. At just 23 years old, Strider looks to be a long time Brave for the foreseeable future.