Motivated Smith-Shawver takes no-hit bid into 8th inning

ATLANTA -- AJ Smith-Shawver remained focused when he was demoted three weeks ago, and he remained composed after losing his no-hit bid in the eighth inning of the Braves’ 4-0 win over the Reds on Monday night at Truist Park.

The 22-year-old hurler’s encouraging reactions to these events give the Braves further reason to be excited about what he could provide them far beyond the remainder of this season.

“Those are big steps mentally for him,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “Those are the makeup things you look for in a young guy, how he handles adversity. He’s been dealt a lot in a brief Major League career.”

Less than five full calendar years since he gave pitching another try with a travel ball team, Smith-Shawver came within six outs of doing what no Braves pitcher has done in more than 30 years. His no-hit bid ended with Santiago Espinal’s eighth-inning single.

But this was still a night to remember for the former Braves top prospect, who allowed just the one hit and four walks during his 99-pitch, eight-inning effort. He walked off the field to a loud applause from a home crowd that has pulled for him going back to 2023, when he made his MLB debut at just 20 years old.

“That’s what you dream of as a kid, going out there and playing the game that you love,” Smith-Shawver said. “I’m just trying to take it all in right now.”

Smith-Shawver joined the Nationals’ Mitchell Parker as the only pitchers who have allowed one hit or fewer over at least eight scoreless innings this year. The most recent Braves pitcher to do this had been Julio Teheran, who threw a one-hit shutout against the Mets on June 19, 2016.

“This is not an easy game by any means,” Braves first baseman Matt Olson said. “It’s hard to get to the big leagues and it’s even harder to stay up here. A lot of guys have to weather the storm and go through the ups and downs. [Smith-Shawver] has always had a good attitude anytime he has gone down or come back up.”

Snitker called Smith-Shawver into his office on April 13 and informed him he was being optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett. On Monday night, he smiled widely as he congratulated the young hurler and let him know he would have likely let him throw approximately 120 pitches had the no-hit bid stayed alive.

The Braves haven’t had a no-hitter since Kent Mercker threw one at Dodger Stadium on April 8, 1994. The only teams with a longer drought are the Royals (1991), Blue Jays (1990) and Guardians (1981).

“I just keep saying he's learning on the job,” Snitker said. “This is a really great experience, learning experience for him tonight. I don't know that he's ever touched the eighth inning.”

Smith-Shawver had never pitched into the seventh inning in any of his previous 10 big league starts. He also had never completed more than seven innings in the Minors and he reached that point just twice. So, this was indeed his first trip into the eighth inning, likely at any level, when you account for the fact he didn’t even pitch in high school before his 2021 senior season.

“When you look up at the board and you see no hits, you want to make that play for him,” Braves shortstop Nick Allen said. “You want to get to everything.”

Allen made two incredible plays within the first three innings and Smith-Shawver kept the Reds off balance with a lively four-seam fastball and an effective splitter, among others. The Braves starter pitched around two first-inning walks and consecutive two-out walks in the fourth. He had retired 10 straight batters before Espinal slapped his single up the middle.

“I started to notice [the no-hitter] in the fifth, and people really started to get away from me in the sixth,” Smith-Shawver said. “I was like, OK, this is real. You go out there and just try to execute pitches. I wanted to do what I had been doing, but with a little more adrenaline.”

The Braves fast-tracked Smith-Shawver from High-A to the big leagues within the first two months of the 2023 season. He made five starts (six games) for the Braves in the regular season that year and had a relief appearance in front of a raucous Philadelphia crowd during the 2023 NL Division Series. He made just one big league appearance during last year’s regular season. But injuries led to him being asked to start Game 1 of the Wild Card Series in San Diego with about six hours’ notice.

Now, three weeks after being demoted, it looks like he is ready to stay.

“I’m happy with how I handled the situation and how I went about my business,” Smith-Shawver said. “I feel that’s the most important part.”