Bryce Elder's Cutter Success: Maddux's Impact

0:00It's April 6th. Welcome in. This is MLB News Today, where baseball meets AI. Bryce Elder is heating up for the Braves and it all traces back to some Hall of Fame connections. teammate Jackson Stevens linked him up with John Smoltz during a slider session at Triple Egg Winning in 2024. Smoltz then set up offseason visits with pitching legend Greg Maddox at his home. They spend mornings breaking down pitches and afternoons on the golf course. Greg's pushed Elder to add a cutter, even though Elder worried it had messed with his slider. Turns out, Maddox was right. They tweaked grips so the slider stayed sharp off the middle finger. Cutter off the index. Fans had every reason to be frustrated after Elder's 5.99 ERA over 44 starts from mid-20-23 to mid-20-25. But he's owning that rough patch, calling his path unorthodox from high school days, juggling golf and baseball to a late shot offer from the University of Texas.

1:00Now the cutters clicking, he threw it 11 times and seven strong innings against the D-backs, allowing just two unearned runs from his own error. Entering Sunday, Elder led MLB with eight quality starts since August 24th, topping even Max Fried and other aces. This turnaround feels real. Spart by Maddox is straightforward pitching wisdom, and it's got Elder locked in for the stretch run just when the Braves.