Sunday’s outing may not have made national headlines, but it was exactly the kind of progress the Atlanta Braves were hoping to see from Ian Anderson.
Five no-hit innings, three walks, four strikeouts, and 62 pitches—41 of which were strikes. That’s a 66% strike rate and a sign that Anderson may just be carving a path back to relevance.
This wasn’t just a good day on the mound—it was a step forward in a rehab journey that’s been anything but straightforward. Anderson retired the final seven batters he faced. He showed improvement in pitch efficiency, and for once, left more questions answered than asked.
A Measured but Meaningful Step Forward
In his last outing, Anderson looked shaky but serviceable. On Sunday, he looked sharp. He threw six more pitches than his previous start but went deeper in two full innings. That’s not nothing.
The drop in baserunners—from six to three—suggests a level of command and poise that wasn’t present earlier this year, or honestly, in recent seasons.
While his fastball still isn’t where it needs to be—he missed spots, left a few hanging, and lived off some wild chases—it did flash glimpses of usefulness. Anderson even induced some quick, one-pitch outs with it, a welcome change for a pitcher trying to stretch out again.
The better story? His breaking stuff. Whether it was the changeup, the curveball, or even his slider, he consistently got hitters to chase and kept them guessing. That’s the Anderson Braves fans remember from 2020.
From Grapefruit to Grind Mode
Spring Training wasn’t pretty. Anderson walked 20 in 20 innings. That’s a walk every inning for those keeping score—not exactly the résumé of a dependable starter.
The Braves moved him to the Angels, where his struggles continued in a short relief stint. Seventeen hits allowed in just over nine innings told the same story: command was still an issue, and he couldn’t keep the ball out of the middle of the plate.
But now there’s a flicker of hope. The Braves re-acquired him and set him on a clear path: rebuild, retool, and re-emerge as a starter. Two starts in, and the early signs are encouraging. This isn’t about chasing perfection or no-hit bids every outing. It’s about progression—measured, consistent, and upward.
Don’t Pencil Him Into the Braves Rotation—Yet
That said, let’s pump the brakes just a bit. Anderson hasn’t pitched for Atlanta outside of Spring Training in nearly three years. He’s still a few starts away from being in the serious conversation for a rotation spot.
But he’s trending in the right direction. If he continues to stretch out, fine-tune his fastball, and keep the walks in check, the Braves could have a very useful arm on their hands by midseason.
There’s no guarantee Ian Anderson will fully recapture the magic of his early Braves days. But after Sunday’s outing, there’s at least a reason to believe again. And for a team still figuring out how to steady itself in the standings, belief is a pretty good place to start.
