There was very little to like about the Atlanta Braves performance against the Mariners on Sunday. Aside from a multi-hit game from Jurickson Profar and a scoreless inning of relief from Hayden Harris, the rest of the evening was pretty embarrassing to watch for Braves fans as Atlanta lost by 16 runs. There was a lot of blame to go around, but one dud of a performance stuck out in a peculiar way and that was Dylan Dodd.
Dodd was pressed into long relief after Joey Wentz got completely torched by Seattle and was chased before the end of the third inning. Dodd was a natural choice to try and put up some innings given his previous stint as a starter, but he didn't fair all that much better in his 3.1 innings of work against the Mariners in giving up three earned runs on five hits.
Given the disparity in Dodd's numbers in short stints versus throwing bullpen innings, Atlanta needs to keep him as a one inning only guy going forward.
Dylan Dodd's days as a multi-inning option for the Braves need to end
It has been a while since Dodd has been considered a real starting pitching prospect and with good reason, but he seemingly found a role as a solid lefty reliever in Atlanta's bullpen. In Dodd's last 19 appearances where he threw 1.2 innings or less, he has given up a total of seven earned runs and that includes a dud on July 23 against the Giants where he got tagged for three runs in 0.2 innings of work. The Braves will take that out of him all day long.
The problem is when Dodd starts throwing two innings plus out of the bullpen. In just the four outings he has this season that fit that description, he has given up almost half (five) of the earned runs he has given up all year long. Combine with his previous struggles in the majors and minors as a starter and you have an emerging pattern that the Braves would be wise to act upon.
Long gone are the days when Dodd came into spring training looking like he was going to barnstorm the Braves' rotation. In fact, it doesn't even seem like he should be throwing multiple innings at all despite his ability to physically cover the innings. Dodd's wide arsenal seems to play up much better in shorter stints and if Atlanta wants to continue to get use out of him, they would be best served to just use him in situations where he can excel and find a different long relief option.