It’s understandable if some Atlanta Braves fans are uneasy about the team continuing to rely on Bryce Elder. Given how many of his starts have been shaky or outright poor, the skepticism is warranted. Still, it’s hard to ignore how well he pitched in Sunday’s win over the Dodgers — and it’s worth looking into why.

Elder’s recent success actually extends over his last three starts, during which he’s posted a 3.18 ERA and a 3.66 FIP, with the Braves winning each of those games. While his 12 strikeouts over 17 innings isn’t particularly impressive, he’s only allowed one home run in that span — a positive sign.

So, what’s changed? Is Elder just riding a streak of good luck, or is there a real adjustment behind this turnaround? While some good fortune is always part of a hot stretch, the stats indicate that Elder’s resurgence is largely due to him rediscovering his feel for the slider.

Bryce Elder’s slider may be the difference making pitch for him again this season

Since reaching the majors, Bryce Elder has excelled in two key areas: generating ground balls and effectively using his slider. He’s not a power pitcher and doesn’t post high strikeout totals, but when he’s on his game, he induces weak contact and shows confidence in throwing his slider for strikes in any count.

That approach earned him an All-Star nod in 2023. While his sinker wasn’t particularly effective and his changeup and four-seamer were decent (with the changeup being the better of the two), it was his slider that stood out. He used it in 35.3% of his pitches, held opponents to a .210 average, and recorded a nearly 20% putaway rate — making it arguably his most effective weapon.

In 2024, though, the slider lost its edge. He continued to throw it often, but hitters tagged it for a .283 average and a .604 slugging percentage, which aligned with what fans were seeing — and helped explain why he didn’t see much action last year. This season, however, he’s leaned on the slider more than any other pitch for the first time in his career, and it’s paying off again: opponents are hitting just .200 with a .364 slugging percentage against it.

Will this resurgence last? Realistically, history says probably not, as Elder has shown he can regress quickly. Still, there are signs that this improved performance has some legitimacy. Regardless of whether it’s sustainable, there’s no denying that the Braves badly need this version of Elder, given the lack of better alternatives behind him.