Even when their men only play well for a short spell, the Braves have a lengthy history of pulling spectacular performances out of them.
In a perfect world, Atlanta Braves players who succeed do so for an extended length of time. One of the defining characteristics of the current Braves run is that, for the most part, Atlanta has chosen the correct players to spend time and money on, and those players have developed into the present core.
The Braves are adept at striking the correct long-term notes, whether they are acquiring players like Max Fried, Matt Olson, and Sean Murphy or developing prospects like Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley, and Ozzie Albies.
On the other hand, the Braves as a team have also benefited greatly from some flashy moments. Indeed, only Alex Anthopoulos has demonstrated a penchant for bringing in players who can aid the team to one-year contracts with a very high success rate in addition to a few busts (Cole Hamels is one example that comes to mind). The most successful teams are those with a strong and capable core that also receive surprising contributions from unexpected places.
When it comes to the Braves, one may see one-hit wonders in several ways. Some argue that the guy should have been eligible to play for the Braves for just one season. Some might counter that even if a player stays with the Braves for a long time, they might only have one successful season—or possibly even one successful season period. There will be a good balance of each player on this list, as well as one or more for whom we had to make some minor adjustments.
It should be noted that every player in this group is a product of the contemporary period. Is it noteworthy that in the 1890s, a man by the name of Water Can McCracken threw over thirty full games? Sure, but we have to draw the line somewhere, and in those days, baseball was so different that it felt almost like a new game altogether. Now, in no particular order, here is a list of the Braves’ greatest one-hit wonders.
Foltynewicz, Mike – 2018
I see, Folty. It was hoped that Foltynewicz, who the Braves acquired in the trade that sent Evan Gattis to Houston, would play a significant role in the team’s future as a starter. For a brief while, it appeared as though that would also come to pass, as he excelled in the lower leagues with a combination of power and skill. Up until 2018, his first few seasons in the major levels were largely uneventful.
The 2018–19 season was just wonderful. Folty had a major impact that year as Atlanta started their run of division titles. Foltynewicz finished in the top eight for the Cy Young Award after posting a 2.85 ERA in 31 starts with 202 strikeouts in 183 innings pitched. Sadly, that was by far his greatest season ever since he dropped back to a mid-4 ERA starter the next year and only made one start the following year before being designated for assignment in 2020. Before pitching his way out of the league in 2021, he would have one more terrible season with the Rangers.
