After what feels like forever, Ian Anderson is back on the mound in the Atlanta Braves system. He made his first appearance on Tuesday in a rehab start, and while it wasn’t a masterpiece, it was meaningful.
Three innings, one earned run, five hits, one walk, two strikeouts—not dazzling, but definitely something to build on.
Managing Traffic Early
Anderson’s start got off to a tense beginning. In the first inning, he flirted with trouble until a runner got thrown out at the plate to end the frame. That moment alone saved his line from looking a lot messier.
Then came the second inning—more baserunners, but Anderson held firm, allowing just one run. In the third, another jam. A runner reached scoring position, but two lineouts got him out of it clean.
So yeah, not exactly cruise control—but this is all part of the process.
Braves See Signs of Progress
Now let’s talk about the silver linings. One walk in three innings? That’s progress. It might not sound like much, but this was a guy who handed out 20 walks in 20 innings during Grapefruit League play last spring.
If the number one concern in his game has been command, especially in the zone, then one walk and 60.7% of his pitches going for strikes is a good sign.
But—and it’s a big but—Anderson still needs to avoid leaving too much over the plate. When you’re trying to throw more strikes, the risk is that you give hitters meatballs.
And based on his stint as a reliever with the Angels and his brief return in Durham, that’s still an issue. Opponents hit .386 off him in L.A. and .385 in his latest outing.
Fastball Fading—For Now
One of the biggest warning signs? That fastball. When Anderson was slicing through lineups in 2020 and 2021, that heater had bite. A putaway rate over 20% and a whiff rate north of 15% made it a serious weapon.
Now? Those numbers have dipped to 9.5% and 8.9%, respectively. The spin rate is down, the movement isn’t the same, and hitters are seeing it better.
That drop in effectiveness is directly tied to fewer strikeouts and more contact, especially hard contact. And when you’re trying to get back to the big leagues, that’s a tough trend to reverse.
Rebuild in Progress For Ian Anderson
To their credit, the Braves are giving Anderson the space he needs. He’s back in a developmental setting, being stretched out again as a starter, and working his way back slowly.
The goal? Rebuild his command, regain confidence in his fastball, and hopefully recapture a bit of that pre-2022 magic.
