Atlanta general manager Alex Anthopoulos said Saturday that Elder will compete with Reynaldo Lopez and AJ Smith-Shawver for the fifth spot in the rotation, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: While he should probably be considered the favorite to land the fifth starter job, Elder no longer appears guaranteed a rotation spot following Atlanta's acquisition of Chris Sale. The 24-year-old collected a 2.97 ERA in 18 first-half starts in 2023 but stumbled to a 5.11 ERA in 13 outings after the All-Star break. A 49.9 percent groundball rate helps, but Elder's 17.5 percent strikeout rate leaves a lot to be desired.
Bryce Elder Named NLDS Game 3 starter
Elder will start Wednesday in Game 3 of the NLDS in Philadelphia, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Analysis: The decision came down to Elder and AJ Smith-Shawver and Atlanta has opted for the more experienced hurler. Elder posted a 3.81 ERA over 31 starts this season, but he held a 5.11 ERA in the second half and allowed 13 runs over 12.1 innings covering his last three regular season outings. There will be a short leash for Elder in this one, with Smith-Shawver looming as an alternative if a quick hook is required.
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