The Atlanta Braves have had a weird, up-and-down start to the 2025 season. Dominant at home (12-6) and shaky on the road (7-14), they’ve still shown their resilience in tight spots, especially in extras, where they hold a perfect 5-0 record after Saturday’s chaotic win over the Pirates.
And while the headlines may focus on AJ Smith-Shawver’s steady progress and some bullpen turbulence, there’s one name that quietly stole the show: Scott Blewett.
Smith-Shawver Stabilizes, Bullpen Wobbles
Saturday’s game had the usual rollercoaster drama Braves fans are starting to expect. AJ Smith-Shawver gave them a fighting chance—5.2 innings, seven strikeouts, just one run. You could see the gears turning. His command is sharpening, and his confidence is growing, especially when attacking hitters early in the count.
But things got dicey late. Rafael Montero and Daysbel Hernandez combined to let the Pirates back in the game. Hernandez was especially shaky—four walks in a high-leverage eighth inning where he replaced closer Raisel Iglesias.
Somehow, the Braves escaped with only the game-tying run, and even that was charged to Montero. It was stressful, erratic, and not exactly a masterclass in shutdown bullpen work.
Enter Scott Blewett: Atlanta’s Unsung Bullpen Hero
While all eyes were on the late-inning mess, Scott Blewett stepped in and calmly took control. Two innings, one hit, one strikeout, and no runs. It was his second straight two-inning outing, and with each appearance, Blewett continues to prove that he’s not just a fill-in—he’s becoming a trusted piece in Atlanta’s bullpen blueprint.
Since arriving from the Orioles, Blewett has posted a 2.79 ERA over 19.1 innings with a clean 19:6 K-to-BB ratio. But the real intrigue comes when you dig into the how. Blewett doesn’t blow hitters away with velocity—his fastball barely touches the low 90s. And yet, he’s thriving. Why? It’s the slider and splitter.
Opponents are hitting just .235 off his slider and a paltry .118 against his splitter. The slider’s generating a 38.7% whiff rate—borderline elite—and he’s inducing grounders and weak contact at a clip that Statcast smiles upon. Blewett’s barrel rate is low, his walk rate is solid, and despite not being a flamethrower, his chase and strikeout metrics are well above average.
Quietly Essential For the Braves’ Bullpen
With the Braves’ bullpen in flux—between Hernandez’s control issues, Montero’s inconsistency, and the injuries still affecting the rotation—Blewett has become exactly what Atlanta needed: a calming, durable long-relief option who can bridge the gap and eat innings without imploding.
He won’t make headlines, and he won’t dominate highlight reels. But Scott Blewett has been exactly the kind of under-the-radar success story that championship-caliber teams need over a long season. For a Braves team trying to find its rhythm, Blewett’s reliability is starting to feel like a hidden gem in plain sight.
