It took Bryse Wilson a few years to finally get his footing, but 2020 seemed to be a coming out party for the 2016 fourth rounder. After making his debut in August 2018 at the ripe old age of 20, Wilson spent two years struggling to harness what got him to the big leagues. He finally appeared to regain some of his swagger in 2020, and went 1-0 with a 4.02 ERA | 4.85 FIP, averaging 8.62 strikeouts per nine innings. These numbers, while not elite by any means, do not tell the full story, as Wilson stumbled out of the gate but quickly righted the ship.
What went right with his 2020?
First, let’s talk about the game everyone will remember. Prior to Game 4 of the NLCS, much ridicule was placed on the Braves for opting to start Wilson against Clayton Kershaw. Not only did the Braves win that game 10-2, but Wilson outdueled the surefire first ballot Hall of Famer, allowing one run on six innings, striking out five and walking one. The Braves weren’t able to take the series, but Wilson’s performance did give the Braves plenty to think about during the offseason.
It is hard to truly evaluate the early part of the 2020 season, considering the short ramp up for players during Spring Training 2.0. With that said, Wilson’s first two appearances appear to have been anomalies. After those two outings (which saw him pitch 2.2 atrocious innings), Wilson started two games and appeared in relief in two others, logging 13 innings. Over that time, he posted a 2.08 ERA | 3.50 FIP, with an 8.31 K/9 rate and 3.46 BB/9. The only home run he allowed during his resurgent period was a wall scraper, one that would have stayed in the park had it not bounced off of Nick Markakis’ glove and over the fence.
The turning point for Wilson seemed to be during another of the Braves’ memorable 2020 games, the 29-9 rout of the Marlins on September 9. With the game well out of reach, the Braves summoned Wilson to save the bullpen. Knowing he had little to lose, he went to work and kept the Fish in check, only allowing one run over four innings. The overall stats for that outing weren’t eye popping, as he only struck out one and walked two. But when he was given a chance to let it fly, not having to worry about nibbling or tiptoeing around hitters, he once again looked like the flame-throwing bulldog that beat the rest of the 2016 draft class to The Show. It was a mentality that stayed with him through the end of the season.
What went wrong with his 2020?
Even with the uncertainty surrounding player readiness during the early part of the 60-game season, these games still happened, whether the players were ready for them or not. Those stats still count. So, while it would be nice to completely disregard his season debut against the Yankees, and a follow-up outing against the Nationals, we can’t do that.
Called on to stop the bleeding during one of Touki Toussaint’s implosions, Wilson’s season debut against the Yankees was an ugly one. He allowed a lead off home run to Aaron Judge, then walked four batters over the next 1 ⅔ innings. He was demoted to the alternate site shortly thereafter.
When he was recalled and came on in relief against Washington on September 6, he didn’t allow any walks or home runs (hooray!) but he still managed to let two runs cross the plate over one inning (boo!).
What’s his outlook for 2021?
Wilson showed outrageous amounts of moxie and potential during NLCS Game 4, proving he has the mental makeup to stand up to even the biggest moments. Though the Braves are expected to have Max Fried, Ian Anderson, and Mike Soroka at the front of the rotation for the foreseeable future (depending on Soroka’s recovery prognosis), and to possibly bring in some outside help, Wilson’s flourish to finish 2020 should have earned him an opportunity to lock down a starting role. It would be nice to see him firmly plant himself into a fourth or fifth starter role, rather than being forced to ride the Gwinnett Express all season.