Michael Gary Foltynewicz…Mike and his wife, Brittany, have 2 children, Michael and Lola…starred at Minooka (IL) High School (graduated 2010)…was committed to pitch at the University of Texas before being drafted and signed by HOU.
2020
Opened the season with the Braves and sustained a 14-5 loss in lone start on 7/27 at TB (3.1 IP, 4 H, 6 R-ER, 4 BB, 3 SO, 3 HR)…was designated for assignment the following day and assigned outright to ATL’s Alternate Training Site in Gwinnett on 7/30…spent the final 2 months of the season there and became a free agent on 11/2/20.
2019
Made 21 starts on the season and went 8-6 with a 4.54 ERA (59 ER/117.0 IP). ... Went just 2-5 and pitched to a 6.37 ERA (42 ER/59.1 IP) in 11 starts to open the season... Allowed a career-high-tying eight runs on 6/22 at WSH and was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett following the game. ... Returned to Atlanta on 8/5 and started the next night at Minnesota and proceeded to go 6-1 with a 2.65 ERA (17 ER/57.2 IP) over his final 11 starts of the season. ... Since his return from Gwinnett on 8/5, his 2.65 ERA was seventh lowest in the National League. ... Atlanta won each of his 12 starts from 6/11 vs. PIT through 9/20 vs. SF, including each of his first nine turns since returning from his option to Gwinnett...Foltynewicz went 7-0 with a 3.54 ERA (27 ER/68.2 IP) during the stretch. ... The run of team wins in his starts was the longest such streak of his career, and the longest by any Atlanta pitcher since the Braves won an MLB-record 23 straight starts by Kris Medlen from 2010 to 2012. ... Foltynewicz's 12-game run was the longest by a starter in the National League this season...Houston won each of Gerrit Cole's final 13 starts of the season. ... Foltynewicz went 7-0 during the stretch, which was the longest winning streak of his career...He had previously won six straight from June 7 to July 25, 2017. ... Made his 100th career start, all of which had come for Atlanta, 5/14 vs. STL. ... Became the 20th pitcher to make 100 starts for the Braves since the team moved to Atlanta in 1966...Of the 20 pitchers to make 100 such starts, Foltynewicz's 8.61 SO/9.0 IP at the time were most, and he stood as one of just two starters to strike out at least eight batters per 9.0 innings for Atlanta. Pitched 8.0 shutout inning, 9/20 vs. SF, in Atlanta's 155th game of the season…The Braves clinched the N.L. East that night with a 6-0 win over the Giants. ... Atlanta also clinched the 2018 N.L. East title in game No. 155, and Foltynewicz started that game as well. ... Missed Atlanta's first 25 games of the season on injured list after developing a right elbow bone spur during spring training...Was on the IL from 3/28 to 4/27. ... Was optioned to Gwinnett on 6/22 and made six starts for the Stripers. ... Went 4-0 with a 2.67 ERA (10 ER/33.2 IP) and 31 strikeouts...Opponents batted .254/.299/.325 against him. Pitched to a 1.13 ERA (2 ER/16.0 IP) over his last three turns and allowed opponents to hit just .179. 2019 POSTSEASON ... Started Game 2 and Game 5 of the NLDS vs. St. Louis and went 1-1 with a 7.36 ERA (6 ER/7.1 IP) and a 2.49 FIP. ... Pitched 7.0 scoreless innings and allowed just three hits in Game 2 in Atlanta's 3-0 win…Became the first Brave to go 7.0 or more scoreless innings in a postseason game since Hall-of-Famer Tom Glavine went 8.0 scoreless frames in Game 2 of the 2001 NLDS against Houston. ... Also started Game 5 and allowed three hits, three walks and seven runs (six earned) while recording just one out…The outing matched the shortest postseason start in franchise history.
2018
Set career bests in wins (13), starts (31), innings (183.0 IP), ERA (2.85) and strikeouts (202) while going to his first All-Star game...Went 13-10 and allowed opponents to bat just .195 against him ... Became the first pitcher in Braves franchise history (since 1876) to reach 200 strikeouts and have an opponents' average under .200 ... Fanned Phillies outfielder Roman Quinn to end the third inning in his final start of the season on 9/28 to notch his 200th strikeout...Finished the season fanning 202 batters to become the first Braves pitcher with 200 strikeouts since Javier Vázquez fanned 238 in 2009 ... Since the club moved to Atlanta in 1966, only five other pitchers reached 200 strikeouts in a season: John Smoltz (five times), Phil Niekro (three times), Vázquez (once), Kevin Millwood (once), Greg Maddux (once) ... N.L. Ranks: ERA (6th, 2.85), complete games (T1st, 2), strikeouts (6th, 202), shutouts (T1st, 1), opponents' batting average (2nd, .195) ... Selected to his first major league All-Star Game after going 7-5 with a 2.66 ERA (30 ER/101.2 IP) over 18 games to open the season... Tossed a scoreless fourth inning in his All-Star Game debut, retiring José Ramírez, Manny Machado and José Abreu, while walking Aaron Judge ... Threw the first shutout of his major league career, 6/1 vs. WSH...Allowed just two hits and struck out 11...Became the seventh pitcher in Atlanta-era history to throw a two-hitter or better with double-digit strikeouts and the first since Greg Maddux fanned 14 Brewers in a two-hit, 1-0 win on 5/2/01 at Turner Field ... Tossed the second complete game of his career, 9/11 at SF... Lost the bid for his second shutout of the season when San Francisco scored its only run of the game in the bottom of the ninth...The complete game was the first for a Braves pitcher on the road since 2016, and he became the first Atlanta pitcher with two complete games in a single season since Shelby Miller logged two in 2015 ... Had 17 starts in which he allowed no more than one run, the second-most such starts in the National League...Jacob deGrom had 18...Only Greg Maddux had more starts of one run or less in a single season for Atlanta...Maddux set the Atlanta franchise record with 19 such starts in 2002, and he also had 18 starts in 1995 ... Missed seven games from 6/16-6/25 on the 10-day disabled list with right triceps tightness ... In his postseason debut, made two starts in the NLDS vs. LAD, going 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA (5 ER/6.0 IP)...Started Game 1 and Game 4.
2017
Spent his first full season in the majors and set career-high totals in wins (10), innings (154.0 IP), strikeouts (143), appearances (29) and starts (28)...Did not pitch after 9/14 due to a laceration on the tip of his right middle finger. ..Carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning on 6/30 at OAK, winning 3-1...Allowed a full-count home run to Matt Olson leading off the ninth inning before exiting...The performance marked the longest no-hit bid by a Braves pitcher since Shelby Miller went 8.2 on 5/17/15 at MIA...Foltynewicz finished the night allowing the one hit, the one run and four walks while striking out eight over a career high-tying 8.0 innings...Won a career-high six consecutive decisions, 6/7-7/25...Pitched to a 3.74 ERA (22 ER/53.0 IP) during the run, which spanned nine starts...The Braves won each of Foltynewicz's starts during that streak, the longest such run by the club for a single pitcher since the team won 23 consecutive starts by Kris Medlen from 2010-2012 to set an MLB record...Lost his last seven starts of the season, compiling a 7.91 ERA (29 ER/33.0 IP) over the skid...His skid is one short of the franchise record, set by Preston Hanna from 1976-1978 and matched by Shelby Miller in 2015...Entered this stretch with a 3.94 season ERA (53 ER/121.0 IP)...Began the season 0-4 with a 4.55 ERA (15 ER/29.2 IP) over a six game, five start span…Then went 10-2 with a 3.74 ERA (38 ER/91.1 IP) over a 16-start span, 5/12-8/5…His 10 wins over this stretch tied for the most in the majors with five others (MIL's Zach Davies, LAD's Clayton Kershaw, BOS' Chris Sale, LAD's Alex Wood and NYM's Jacob deGrom). ..Became the first Braves starter to not allow a run in a start at SunTrust Park, 6/7 vs. PHI …Tossed 7.0 scoreless innings and allowed four hits and two walks with four strikeouts…His 7.0 shutout innings ran his scoreless streak to a career best-tying 14.0 consecutive innings after he went 7.0 innings on 6/2 at CIN…Also went 14.0 scoreless innings, 7/10 and 7/16, 2016...Collected two double-digit strikeout games, including fanning a career-best 11 on 8/5 vs. MIA…Also struck out 10 on 6/2 at CIN...Allowed a career-most eight runs, all earned, and 11 hits on 6/12 at WSH…Failed to record a strikeout, marking just his second career start he did not fan a batter (also, 8/3/15 vs. SF)…Matched the eight runs on 8/16 at COL in a 17-2 loss. ..Left handers hit .308 (91-for-295) against him, while he limited righties to a .248 (78-for-315) mark...Went 5-5 with a 3.95 ERA (30 ER/68.1 IP) and six home runs allowed in 12 games at home…Had a 5-8 record and a 5.46 ERA (52 ER/85.2 IP) in 17 games, 16 starts, on the road. ..Allowed just eight runs (2.57 ERA) and one home run in the first inning ...Finished the season 23-24 with a 4.81 ERA (192 ER/359.1 IP) in 65 career starts…Is 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA (15 ER/23.1 IP) in 20 relief games.
2016
Spent the majority of the season with Atlanta after beginning the year at Triple-A Gwinnett… Also missed 28 games on the 15-day disabled list, 6/4-6/30, with right elbow discomfort... Set career-high totals for wins (nine), starts (22), innings (123.1) and strikeouts (111)…His nine wins led the club, while his starts, innings and strikeouts all ranked third...Won his fi nal fi ve decisions of the season to set a career-high winning streak…Compiled a 3.88 ERA (22 ER/51.0 IP) over his run, which covered nine starts, 8/7-9/28... Went 2-2 with a 3.51 ERA (13 ER/33.1 IP) in six starts before going to the DL…Went 7-3 with a 4.60 ERA (46 ER/90.0 IP) in 16 games after returning... Fanned 10 in a 2-0 win at CWS on 7/10, the right-hander's fi rst career double-digit strikeout game...Did not issue a base-on-balls and fi nished as one of 11 pitchers in 2016 to strike out at least 10 with no walks in a scoreless outing...The last Braves pitcher to accomplish the feat was LHP Alex Wood on 8/31/14... Equaled his career high by allowing four homers in a 5-1 loss at PHI on 7/5...Allowed 18 home runs total, but only seven over his fi nal 14 turns... Went a career-long 20.2 consecutive innings without issuing a base-on-balls from the third inning of his season debut on 5/2 to the second inning on 5/25... Faced fi ve batters over the minimum in 8.0 shutout innings to beat KC, 5-0, on 5/14 at Kauff man Stadium and snap a career-high fourgame losing streak...The 8.0 innings set a new career high. Made his MLB season debut, 5/2 at NYM...Lost after allowing four runs, earned, and three home runs in 3.2 innings...Went to Spring Training with the Braves but was optioned to Gwinnett (AAA) on 3/30 as he recovered from surgery on 9/21/15 to remove the anterior half of his fi rst rib... Allowed a career high-tying total in runs (seven) and hits (12) on 7/27 at MIN, but earned the win in a 9-7 victory.Went 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA (8 ER/25.1 IP) in four interleague starts... Began the season with Triple-A Gwinnett, but Atlanta recalled him on 5/2....Went 1-2 in four starts with the G-Braves prior to his promotion, compiling a 2.05 ERA (5 ER/22.0 IP) with 20 strikeouts and 14 walks
2015
In his sixth professional campaign, returned to predominately work as a starting pitcher as he made 28 appearances, including 25 starts, between the Major Leagues and Triple-A Gwinnett. ... Made three separate appearances with the Major League club from early May to late August (5/1-6/17, 7/7-7/12, 7/29-end of the season) and went 4-6 with a 5.71 ERA in 18 appearances (15 starts). ... Was diagnosed with costochondritis on September 2 and sidelined for the remainder of the season. Underwent successful surgery on September 21, 2015, to remove the anterior half of his first rib. The procedure was performed by Dr. William Mayfield at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, Ga. ... Made his Braves debut on 5/1 at Turner Field. Beat CIN 4-3 to collect his first career victory en route to becoming the first Braves player to win his starting debut since Kenshin Kawakami beat WSH 5-3 in his Major League debut on 4/11/09. In his second career at-bat, the right-hander doubled home two runs for his first career hit and RBI. The rookie had zero career plate appearances in the minor leagues. ... Won his first two starts with the Braves on 5/1 and 5/6. The last pitcher to win consecutive starts to begin his Braves career was Ben Sheets, who won three straight in 2012. ... Allowed 17 home runs on the season, for a 1.77 HR/9.0 innings pitched ratio, which ranked second highest in the Majors among pitchers with at least 75.0 innings. ... Stopped a nine-game winless streak on 8/8 vs. MIA, earning his first victory since 5/24. Did not allow a home run in a start for the first time since that May 24th game (a span of six starts). ... Allowed a career-most and a Braves season high-tying four home runs on 8/3 vs. SF. Did not strike out a batter over 6.0 innings to become the first pitcher in Atlanta franchise history (since 1966) to allow at least four home runs and not fan a batter. Prior to Foltynewicz, only four MLB pitchers since 1966 went at least 6.0 innings with no strikeouts and four or more homers allowed (Jeremy Guthrie, 5/14/13; Cory Lidle, 8/3/04; Whitey Ford, 7/2/66). ... Struck out at least seven batters in five consecutive games, 5/6-5/29. It was the longest streak of its kind by a Braves pitcher since Brandon Beachy had a nine-game run in 2011 (fanned 36 total in 31.1 IP). ... Made three consecutive appearances out of Atlanta's bullpen (7/7 at MIL, 7/9 and 7/11 at COL) and did not earn a decision (2 ER/2.2 IP). ... Opened the 2015 season with Gwinnett and pitched at a 3.49 ERA (22 ER/56.2 IP), while going 1-6 over 10 total starts spanning three separate stints with the team. Pitched at a 2.08 ERA in his first four starts with GWN. • Struck out 63 batters over 56.2 innings with the G-Braves and in back-to-back outings reached the ninestrikeout mark (4/20 at Norfolk and 4/26 at Durham). ... Entered the 2015 season ranked by Baseball America as the Braves' second-best prospect. Also tabbed by the publication in their "Best Tools" survey as having the "Best Fastball" in the organization.
2014
Entered the 2015 season ranked by Baseball America as the Braves' second-best prospect. Also tabbed by the publication in their "Best Tools" survey as having the "Best Fastball" in the organization...In his fifth professional season, made his Major League debut with the Houston Astros, appearing in 16 contests - all in relief - with the Major League club...Combined to make 37 total appearances between Oklahoma City (AAA) and Houston with a 7-8 record and a 5.13 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 121.1 innings pitched...Spent the first four months of the season with Oklahoma City going 7-7 with a 5.08 ERA over 21 games (18 starts) before having his contract purchased on 8/1...After predominately pitching as a starter during his time in the minor leagues, made all 16 of his appearances with the Major League club out of the bullpen. His longest outing of the season was 2.1 innings pitched on two occasions (8/14 at BOS and 9/28 at NYM)...Made his Major League debut on 8/2 vs. TOR with 0.2 scoreless frames (1 BB, 1 K). He entered in the eighth inning and retired two of his three batters faced as he recorded his first career hold...Had two outings with HOU in which he allowed three earned runs (8/12 vs. MIN and 9/28 at NYM) over a combined 3.1 innings. Without those two outings, his season ERA with the Major League club would have been 2.93 (15.1 IP/5 ER). Was touched for three home runs with HOU, including two in his 8/12 outing and one in his 9/28 outing...Pitched at a 1.93 ERA (2 ER/9.1 IP) over 10 appearances, from 8/17-9/23...With Oklahoma City, went 6-2 with a 3.48 ERA in 12 appearances (10 starts) made on the road, compared to going 1-5 with a 7.52 ERA in nine games (eight starts) at home...Post 102 strikeouts in 102.2 innings with Oklahoma City which ranked as the third most on the Club.
2013
Entered the season highly ranked on many prospect lists, including a No. 5 ranking in the Astros organization by Baseball America...among all minor league players, was ranked a top-50 prospect by ESPN.com (#46), Baseball America (#46) and Baseball Prospectus (#49) mid-way through the season...MLB.com ranked him as the No. 65 prospect in all of baseball...was in minor league camp but did join the Astros for two Major League games in Spring Training...did not allow a run in 5.0 innings of work, while allowing just one hit and fanning eight...this included a 4.0-inning, seven-strikeout performance on March 30 vs. CHC in an exhibition game at Minute Maid Park...in the regular season, advanced to Class A Advanced Lancaster, where he went 1-0 with a 3.81 ERA (11ER/26IP) in seven games (five starts)...promoted to Double A Corpus Christi on May 2 and finished his season with the Hooks...went 5-3 with three saves and a 2.87 ERA (33ER/103.1IP) in 23 games (16 starts) at the Double A level...allowed just a .207 opponent's batting average at Corpus...earned Midseason and Postseason All-Star honors in the Texas League...was also picked by the Texas League managers and coaches as the 'Best Pitching Prospect' with the 'Best Fastball' and 'Best Breaking Pitch' in Baseball America's Best Tools Survey...combined to go 6-3 with three saves and a 3.06 ERA (44ER/129.1IP) in 30 games (21 starts).
2012
Entered the season as the Astros No. 9 prospect per Baseball America...repeated the season with Class A Lexington and earned the organization's Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award after posting a 14-4 record and a 3.14 ERA (53ER/152IP) in 27 starts...was named the South Atlantic League's Most Outstanding Pitcher and was a SAL Midseason and Postseason All-Star...also named a MiLB.com Organization All-Star...ranked tied for first in the SAL in wins and starts, second in innings pitched, fifth in ERA and sixth in strikeouts (125)...named the No. 11 prospect in the SAL following the season by Baseball America...was named Lexington's Pitcher of the Month in April (3-1, 1.98), June (3-1, 2.97) and August (2-0, 1.99)...allowed two earned runs or less in 19 of his 27 starts, including his first eight starts of the season.
2011
Entered the season as the Astros No. 4 prospect with the 'Best Fastball' in the system, per Baseball America...advanced to Class A Lexington for his second pro campaign...lost his first six decisions on the season, bringing his professional record to 0-9, before winning on May 18 vs. West Virginia, beating Pirates prospect Jameson Taillon...won five of six decisions from May 18-July 14, lowering his season ERA from 6.63 to 4.19...finished his campaign with a 5-11 record and a 4.97 ERA (74ER/134IP) in 26 starts.
2010
Selected by Houston with the 19th overall selection in the 2010 draft out of Minooka High School in Illinois...drafted on June 7 as one of three Astros first round picks, also OF Delino DeShields (#8) and IF Mike Kvasnicka (#33)...signed with the Astros on June 18 and assigned to rookie level Greeneville...made his professional debut on June 26 vs. Johnson City, tossing 1.0 scoreless inning in a start...finished his season 0-3 with a 4.03 ERA (20ER/44.2IP) in 12 starts...allowed only one earned run over his final four starts of the season, posting a 0.48 ERA (1ER/18.2IP) in those games...following the season, ranked by Baseball America as the No. 7 prospect in the Appalachian League.
