Collin McHugh filled his role with the Braves in 2023, but this season was far from his best.
The 36-year-old right-hand reliever finished 4-1 with a 4.30 ERA in 41 games, but that record doesn’t tell the story. McHugh’s 1.568 WHIP is more indicative of his struggles.
There was a time in McHugh’s career when he was used in high leverage situations. That was even true of his time with the Braves. However, in 2023 McHugh was relegated to the Josh Tomlin role of yesteryear. Those results weren’t great. Atlanta won 23 of the 41 games that McHugh pitched, but lost the last five before he was placed on the IL. In his final two outings against the Giants and Cardinals, Collin allowed four earned runs in 1.1 and 3 innings, respectively.
Know when to fold ’em
Every nibbler has faces the music sometime. The sweeper doesn’t quite sweep as much as it once did. And that 88 mph fastball, even if it has movement, is hittable. The results? 2023 Collin McHugh.
That said, the Braves made decisions. The decision Atlanta made forced McHugh’s hand, too. And like Kenny Rogers once sang, “You gotta know when to hold ’em, and know when to fold ’em. Know when to walk away, and know when to run…”
Apparently, McHugh knew when to fold ’em. He retired last week, calling it quits on a career that began in 2012. He finished 71-47 lifetime with a 3.72 ERA in 346 appearances. In the early years, McHugh was a starter. He made 127 starts, most of which were with Houston (2014-2016).
McHugh filled his role for a long time, it looks like he gets to fill the role of husband and father to a greater degree. That said, I imagine McHugh will remain connected to the game in some fashion.
Collin, we hardly McHugh ye. Farewell and best wishes in retirement.
McHugh’s 2023 wasn’t great, but his 2022 doesn’t get enough credit.
69.1 IP, 2.60 ERA, 6.17 K/BB rate. Pitched 2 or more innings 12 times.
Not to mention an ERA-/FIP-/xFIP- line of 63/69/83. Collin was huge for us in 2022. Congrats to him on a great MLB career.
McHugh was a great Brave and still probably worth his contract. We should have just gotten him earlier in his career. If he was able to do his Houston and Tampa Bay careers with us, we’re probably talking about him in another tier of Braves, especially since he’ll undoubtedly stick around since this is home.
We have such a tremendous advantage being the only team elite team in the southeast. So many guys call us the hometown team, and we have some of the best weather of all MLB teams. We’re really smart to grab these guys on the back slope of their career.
But here’s a guy this definitely does not apply to:
https://x.com/ATLHawks/status/1752513057610150158?s=20
People are like, “See!!!! Fried loves Atlanta!!! He’s gonna stay!!!”
They were playing the Lakers.
I really don’t know why fans get all worked up that all of our guys won’t stay forever. I said at least a year before that Freddie and his family probably wanted to get back to California. When you have all the money in the world, you never actually got to pick Atlanta yourself, LA will pay you just as much if not more, they’re just as good as us, AND your family lives there, you’re not staying here. Fried has no ties to this entire half of the country other than Johnny Copolella traded for him before he went tits up.
I also don’t know why some fans are so committed to signing him long-term. It’s gotta be because he’s really good looking. He’s definitely really good looking. He’s averaged 143 IP these last 3 years. You might say that’s cherry-picking since his injury last year weighed him down, but it’s not like he’s a horse when he’s been healthy. His last three healthy, non-Covid seasons: 170 IP per year.
Is this guy a lock to give you 5 WAR per for the next several years? My gut says no, and his body is not going to make him any more durable as he ages.
I know we’ll have plenty of time to talk Fried’s long-term status, but I just wanted to throw some thoughts out.
Are you serious about the good-looking thing? Can’t tell if you’re serious.
I think it’s because Fried is the only repeated CY finalist we’ve had since the big 3 and he pitched the most dominant world series game 6 we’ve seen since Glavine’s. Maybe I’m forgetting something, but it’s a short list. And we haven’t been able to sign anybody remotely in the same league in 30 years. Fried’s injury-shortened 2023 certainly takes away some luster, but he’s still the closest thing we’ve had to an ace in a generation, and we don’t assume we can readily replace him.
We can’t readily replace his past, but I suspect we can find less expensive options that will come close to matching his future, especially by the end of whatever big long-term contract he’ll sign. I’ll be rooting for him to get paid and to do well, though.