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Bryce Elder was thriving when he was featured here at FanGraphs in July 2023. Then in his first full season with the Atlanta Braves, the now 27-year-old right-hander was 8-2 with a 3.18 ERA, and he’d recently been named an NL All-Star. Killing worms was his M.O. Relying heavily on a sinker, Elder boasted a 53.6% groundball rate, which ranked fifth best among qualified pitchers.

Then things slowly started going south. From August 2023 through last season, Elder was on the winning end of just 14 decisions while putting up a 5.53 ERA over 48 starts comprising 259 innings. The University of Texas product had gone from a burgeoning frontline starter to profiling as more of a back-of-the-rotation arm.

Adversity has a way of begetting change, and much for that reason, Elder is no longer the same pitcher who struggled to record outs. The transformation has taken a bit of time — Rome wasn’t built in a day — but his current-season results are certainly pleasing to the eye. Over 14 starts, Elder has a record of 5-3 to go with a 2.66 ERA and a 3.46 FIP over 84 2/3 innings. Notably, his 45.0% groundball rate is the lowest of his career.

Elder discussed his evolution — one that has essentially brought him full circle in terms of success — when the Braves visited Fenway Park late last month.

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David Laurila: It’s been three years since we first spoke. What has changed?

Bryce Elder: “A lot has changed. When we talked in 2023, I’d been on a roll; I’d had a good first half. But then the second half was pretty rough. It wasn’t all rough, but the numbers weren’t all that great. I was kind of like, ‘I’m tired of sucking, tired of not being very good, so I’m going to try to make some changes. I’d never worked on mechanics too much, and I’d never been a big, like, stuff chaser, but I got tired of dying on the hill of complete execution.

“I never thought I’d be saying that, even a year ago. But what I figured out is that if I could make my stuff a little better, that would only help. And then, if I was moving a little better on the mound, my execution was going to be just as good as it’s ever been, if not better. So, I think I’ve had a little tick up in stuff, as well as in my execution.”

Laurila: How did you go about accomplishing that?

Elder: “I’ve learned not to chase what other people look like, but I have chased the principles of how you’re going to move. I went out and did some bio-mechanic stuff with a guy named Bob Keyes, out in Utah. He helped me figure out how I can move better. In 2023, my average [sinker] was something like 89-and-a-half [mph], and while I was never going to a guy who throws 98, I knew that I could make my stuff a little bit crisper, a little sharper, a little tighter. I think I’ve done that.”

Laurila: In which ways did you start moving better?

Elder: “People always talk about staying in your backside, and one thing he taught me out in Utah was to hold my line down the mound as long as possible. There is a reason the mound is sloped. It’s free energy, so use that free energy. Don’t try to do too much on the mound, use the gravity. Hold yourself closed, hold your line as long as you can.”

Laurila: You’re not throwing nearly as many sinkers. When we talked three years ago, that was by far your primary pitch.

Elder: “To righties, I think it still is. And I will throw it to lefties, but mostly just in. When you’re throwing sinkers away to lefties, the margin for error is small — especially with ABS. If you miss by one quarter of the ball, they can challenge it, and if you miss over the plate, it’s usually into a lefty’s bat path. So, I kind of went away from that last year, toward the end when I was struggling. I had a 6.30 ERA or something like that, and was, ‘OK, screw it. I’m going to start throwing something different.’ I started throwing more four-seams, and the results have been pretty good.”

Laurila: You’ve also added a cutter.

Elder: “Yes. Greg Maddux showed a cutter to me a year and a half ago. I didn’t throw it at all last season, but [pitching coach Jeremy Hefner] saw it in spring training and told me, ‘You’ve got to throw that.’ So, now I’m four-seam, cutter, slider, changeup, with the occasional sinker.”

Laurila: You learned a cutter from Greg Maddux…

Elder: “I actually tried to throw a cutter in 2022. It was fine, but then it morphed into a bad four-seam/cutter thing. I’ve never been able to ride the ball, and my cutter was just kind of a right-in-between pitch that wasn’t doing much. But the biggest problem is that it messed with my slider, which is usually my best pitch.

“What Maddux taught me was to throw it with my index finger, instead of my middle finger. That allows the vert to stay there, and cross the horizontal axis, but at the same time not mess with my slider. He showed me a grip and I eventually incorporated it into my repertoire. So yes, that’s another of the changes I’ve made.”