The Braves may already have the NL East wrapped up, but the biggest decision hanging over the final stretch has nothing to do with the standings. It’s Robert Suarez.
Suarez’s return could end up shaping Atlanta’s postseason more than any of the games left on the schedule. The All-Star reliever pitched over the weekend for Gwinnett, working a scoreless inning with one hit allowed and one strikeout, and his fastball sat in the 96-98 range. For a Braves team hoping to get him back in the mix, that was the kind of update that matters.
General manager Alex Anthopoulos addressed the situation Monday on 680 The Fan and sounded encouraged by what he saw.
“So, I actually went to go see him pitch this last game in Gwinnett,” Anthopoulos said. “I was very curious to see him.
He looked good. A little bit of rust command-wise, but we had a lot of conversations about him today.
“Our goal and our hope is to get him into big-league games… In a perfect world, he would get more rehab assignments in Gwinnett, but their season is over. So, do we continue his ‘rehab’ at the big-league level, or do we throw him in sim games and so on?
“The issue we have is you only have so many roster spots, right? It’s not a 40-man roster in September like it was in the past.
You’ve got 28 spots, 14 arms. But right now in the discussions today, I think highly likely you will see him activated relatively soon, and I would say most likely potentially Wednesday or Thursday.”
That timing puts the Braves in a tricky spot. With the minor-league season finished and the playoffs opening next week, there may only be one or two chances to see Suarez in a regular-season game before the real decisions begin. That leaves Atlanta with a narrow window to judge whether he’s ready to be part of the postseason picture.
If Suarez is healthy and the stuff stays sharp, leaving him off the playoff roster would be a hard call. But the bigger issue is trust. He’s been out for more than three months, and the Braves have to decide whether they’re comfortable putting him in the biggest moments of the year right away.
That call falls to Walt Weiss, and it could end up deciding whether the Braves move on to the NLDS or go home early for the fourth time since winning the World Series in 2021.
In Other News...
Braves Wild Card Plans Just Changed With New Outfield Concern
The Braves outfield picture shifted quickly after the club brought in Lane Thomas and minor league pitcher Bailey Falter from the Royals for two minor league arms, a move meant to give Atlanta more depth heading into October. Thomas was supposed to be part of that mix right away, but a left intercostal strain suffered during batting practice has now sent him to the 10-day injured list and put his availability in doubt at exactly the wrong time.
With the Wild Card Series looming, Atlanta will have to sort out its postseason outfield plans without the player it had just added for reinforcements. Thomas is expected to miss the series, leaving the Braves to lean on other options already in the organization as they finalize a roster that looked different only a short time ago. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Bullpen Picture Just Got More Interesting In Gwinnett Finale
The Stripers season finale in Gwinnett had the kind of late movement that can make a box score feel more meaningful than the final result. Indianapolis beat Gwinnett 9-6, but the Braves Triple-A club pushed back late before giving up three runs in the ninth inning, turning what had been a tighter finish into another reminder of how fragile bullpen games can be at this time of year.
For Atlanta, the more interesting part was the collection of arms that took the mound as the organization keeps sorting through relief options. Michael Grove and Joe Jimnez were among the pitchers to get work, and James Karinchak was the one tagged with the loss after the ninth-inning swing. Games like this tend to matter beyond one afternoon in Gwinnett, especially when the bullpen picture is still being evaluated with the major league club in mind. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Still Have One Big Postseason Pitching Call To Settle
With the National League East wrapped up and a No. 3 seed in hand, the Braves can now turn fully to October planning, and most of the early outline is already in place. Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle are lined up to start the first two games of the Wild Card Series on extra rest, giving Atlanta a familiar one-two punch as the postseason begins.
The bigger question is what comes after that, if the series extends long enough to require a third game. Grant Holmes and Martn Prez are the names under consideration for that potential start, while Robert Suarez is still working back through a minor league rehab appearance and Bryce Elder is recovering from knee surgery with a possible return window that lines up with the NL Division Series. Matt Olson also added a notable regular-season milestone by joining an exclusive Braves group with multiple 40-homer seasons, a reminder that Atlanta heads into October with power in the lineup and at least one important pitching decision still hanging in the balance. [Read more 🡒]