Julio Teherán


Julio Alberto Teherán Pinto is a Colombian professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball. He previously played for the Atlanta Braves. Teherán was signed by the Braves as an international free agent in 2007.

Professional career

Minor league career

Teherán signed with the Atlanta Braves on July 3, 2007, and started his professional career in 2008, pitching for the Danville Braves. During that season he started six games and had a 1–2 record with a 6.60 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 15 innings.
He spent the 2009 season pitching for Danville and the Rome Braves. In 14 starts, he went 3–4 with a 3.65 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 81 innings. Prior to the 2010 season, Baseball America ranked him as the Braves' third-best prospect, behind Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman.
Coming off a promising 2009 season, the Atlanta Braves decided to allow Teheran another full season in the minors. He spent the 2010 season pitching for the Rome Braves, Myrtle Beach Pelicans, and Mississippi Braves. He finished the season with a 9–8 record, a 2.59 ERA, and 159 strikeouts in 142 innings over 24 starts.
Prior to the 2011 season, Teherán was the top-ranked prospect by Baseball America in the Atlanta Braves system, and fifth overall of all prospects. Teherán started the year with the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves, going 3–0 with a 1.80 ERA in his first five starts. He was the starting pitcher for the World team in the 2011 All-Star Futures Game on July 10, 2011, but gave up a home run on a 95-mph fastball to the first batter, Cleveland Indians prospect Jason Kipnis, who was leading off the bottom of the first inning for the United States.

Atlanta Braves

2011

Teherán made his Major League debut on May 7 against the Philadelphia Phillies. He took the loss, allowing three earned runs in 4.2 innings pitched with two walks and a strikeout. He was optioned back to Triple-A the next day. Teherán was called up again for another spot start on May 18, pitching four innings and getting a no-decision. He was again optioned back to Triple-A the next day.
He completed the 2011 minor league season with a 15–3 win-loss record and a 2.55 ERA in 24 starts.
Teherán rejoined the Atlanta Braves when rosters expanded in September. He earned his first major league win against the New York Mets on September 8. He was named a starting pitcher on Baseball America's 2011 Minor League All Star team.

2012

Teherán was ranked fifth by Baseball America among all prospects entering the 2012 season, and the second-best right-handed pitcher. With the five-man rotation in question, he was invited to spring training to make his case for a spot on the 25-man roster. In the 5 games he appeared in, including three starts, Teherán struggled to find a groove, giving up 22 hits and 18 runs in just 16.1 innings pitched. He was unable to consistently throw strikes as well, giving up eight walks. After struggling against Major League hitters, Teherán was assigned to re-join Gwinnett where he continued his inconsistencies. He fell to a 7–9 record in 26 starts with a 5.08 ERA, giving up 18 home runs.
When injuries plagued the Major League roster, including a season-ending injury to Brandon Beachy, Teherán was passed over by several other players for the call-up. Atlanta signed free agent Ben Sheets, traded for Paul Maholm, and called Randall Delgado up as replacements rather than the highly touted prospect.

2013

Expectations for the 21-year-old Teherán were lower in 2013 than the previous spring. He was invited to the Major League spring training once again, however, where he showed flares of stardom, posting a 1.29 ERA through four starts, spanning 14.1 innings through March 16. He did not start the regular season off strong, with a 5.08 ERA in the first month, but 2013 ended up being his breakout year. He turned things around after April, finishing the season with 14-8 record, 3.20 ERA, 170 strikeouts, and 185.2 IP. On June 5, Teherán was pitching a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates through 7.2 innings before giving up a single to pinch-hitter Brandon Inge.

2014

Teherán signed a 6-year, $32.4 million extension with the Braves on February 14, 2014. He was the Braves' Opening Day starter for the first time in his career, taking the loss in a 2–0 game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Teherán was selected to the 2014 MLB All-Star Game, his first All-Star Game selection. However, he was ineligible due to previously pitching the Sunday before the All-Star break. He was honored as an All-Star in a pregame ceremony. Teherán became the second Colombian to be selected an All-Star, following former Braves player Édgar Rentería. In 33 starts on the season, Teheran went 14–13 with a 2.89 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in 221 innings.

2015

In 2015, Teherán was once again the Braves' Opening Day starting pitcher, winning a 2–1 game against the Miami Marlins. In 33 starts, he went 11–8 with a career-high 4.04 ERA.

2016

For the third consecutive year, the Braves began their season with Teherán on the mound. He earned a no-decision in a 4–3 loss to the Washington Nationals. During a game on May 24, he recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts, including four in one inning. He was named to his second All-Star Game after posting a 3–7 record with a 2.72 ERA. He finished the season with a 7–10 record and a 3.21 ERA in 188 innings pitched.

2017

For the fourth consecutive year, Teherán was the Braves' Opening Day starting pitcher, pitching six scoreless innings against the New York Mets before being pulled. He joined Rick Mahler and Greg Maddux as the lone Atlanta pitchers to start four straight season openers.
On April 14, Teheran was the starting pitcher for the first game in SunTrust Park history. He allowed two runs on five hits with four walks and five strikeouts in a 5–2 win against the San Diego Padres. He finished the season with an 11-13 record and a 4.69 ERA in 32 starts. Batters stole 26 bases against him, tied for tops in the major leagues, while being caught six times. He struggled mightily at SunTrust Park, going 3–10 with a 5.89 ERA in 17 home starts.

2018

Teherán was named the Opening Day starting pitcher for the 2018 season, and was the first Atlanta Braves pitcher to start five consecutive Opening Day games. Against the New York Mets on May 3, Teherán took a no-hitter through 6.2 innings until allowing a hit by Asdrubal Cabrera. Nevertheless, the Braves won 11–0. Teherán hit his first home run on August 5, while facing Mets' pitcher Corey Oswalt. For the season he was 9–9 with a 3.94 ERA, and led the major leagues in holding opposing batters to the lowest batting average on balls in play.

2019

Prior to the start of the 2019 Atlanta Braves season, Teherán began pitching exclusively from the stretch. He started on Opening Day of the 2019 season, tying Warren Spahn for the most consecutive Opening Day starts made in franchise history. For the season, Teherán compiled a 10–11 record and a 3.81 earned run average. Teherán became a free agent at the end of the season, as his contract option was declined.

Los Angeles Angels

Teherán and the Los Angeles Angels agreed to terms on a one-year contract on December 21, 2019. On July 19, 2020, Teherán disclosed that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

Scouting report

Teherán throws a four seam fastball that averages 92 mph, paired with a two seam fastball at 89 mph. His slider and change up both are thrown at around 82 mph. His curveball sits in the mid-70s. Teherán also has a screwball that he does not use very often. Teherán has a very effective pickoff move. His 22 successful attempts in 2014 through early September was the most for any pitcher during that period.

Personal

Teherán's uncle Miguel worked for the Braves as a scout. Teherán's second cousin is Sugar Ray Marimón. They grew up together in Cartagena, and were Braves teammates in 2015.
Teherán married Yoselin Rincón in February 2016. The couple's first child was born in August of that year.