The Braves are headed for the postseason; the only real mystery is where they land in the bracket.
If Atlanta handles business in the division, it can’t fall lower than the No. 3 seed. There’s still a path to one of the top two spots in the National League and a first-round bye, but that road looks narrow right now. The Dodgers and Brewers are sitting firmly in those positions, with the Braves 4.5 games back of Milwaukee and 3.0 behind Los Angeles.
With three weeks left before October, this is the first pass at what Atlanta’s playoff roster could look like - and it’ll be revisited every week from here on out.
The biggest roster call starts with the pitching setup. This projection assumes a three-game Wild Card series, which means there’s no real need to carry five starters.
Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle would be lined up for the first two games, and if it gets to a winner-take-all Game 3, the Braves would likely go with an all-hands-on-deck plan. Grant Holmes would probably get the ball to start that game, though Lopez and Smith-Shawver have enough upside to stick as relief options.
In the bullpen, Raisel Iglesias and Robert Suarez are in. Didier Fuentes, Dylan Lee, Brent Suter, Dylan Dodd, Victor Mederos and Ray Kerr round out the group in this projection.
The Suarez piece matters most. The assumption here is that he makes it back from injury in time to be included, and the reporting suggests that should happen unless something changes.
After that, the rest of the bullpen choices feel pretty straightforward. Martin Perez could be in the mix instead of Ray Kerr, Lopez or Smith-Shawver, and the Braves might lean toward Perez because of the veteran angle.
He’s left off this version only because a three-game series doesn’t demand the same depth a five-game set would.
Behind the plate, Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin are the catchers.
The infield picture includes Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Mauricio Dubon and Ha-Seong Kim. Kim is the one real question mark.
He’s had a few moments in the last couple of weeks, but his production has dropped off quickly. Even so, he stays in this projection because the alternatives don’t look better, and he’s already shown he can come through with a big hit in a pinch.
Smith is another name that hasn’t done much to force the issue. He has played in just one game this month, going 0-for-2 with a walk against the Phillies. Still, the projection keeps him off the list only because no one else has clearly seized the spot.
In the outfield, the top four are locked in. Brewer Hicklen is included as well.
He hasn’t gotten much run this season - just 12 games - but he’s hitting .364 with an OPS above 1.000 in that stretch. He also brings pinch-running value, which can matter a lot when a playoff roster is being built for short-series baseball.
In Other News...
Braves Rotation Need Could Push Atlanta Toward An Intriguing Gamble
The Braves already made one move to bolster the rotation by adding Tyler Mahle at the trade deadline, but the work there does not figure to be finished once the offseason opens. Atlanta still has an obvious need to improve the starting staff, and that puts the front office in the market for pitchers who can offer upside without demanding the kind of certainty that usually comes at a premium.
Casey Mize fits that kind of discussion. CBS Sports Mike Axisa floated Atlanta as a possible landing spot for the free-agent right-hander, whose talent has shown through even as his performance has remained uneven this season. For a Braves club trying to keep pace in a demanding division, the appeal is clear, but the question is whether this is the sort of gamble the organization wants to make as it tries to deepen a rotation that still feels unfinished. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Outfield Uncertainty May Not Last As New Internal Options Emerge
The Braves outfield picture is still unsettled in the short term, but the organization may already have a few answers taking shape inside the system. With current roster decisions and free agency keeping the big-league mix in flux, Atlanta is looking closely at a group of younger options who could eventually factor into both the outfield and designated hitter spots.
Eric Hartman, AJ Gracia, Carter Beck and Owen Carey all got attention for the way they performed recently, and each brings a different kind of fit for the Braves to consider. The timeline is still gradual rather than immediate, but the idea that one or more of these players could push into meaningful roles over the next year and a half gives the front office something useful while the bigger-picture outfield situation remains unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Pitching Shuffle Puts Reynaldo Lopez In A Spotlight Again
The Braves continued to reshape their pitching group amid the series with the Rays, adding left-hander Bailey Falter to the major-league roster and designating right-hander Elieser Hernandez for assignment. The roster moves came alongside a more significant development for Atlantas rotation, with Reynaldo Lopez reinstated from the injured list and lined up to start the upcoming game.
Bryce Elders move to the injured list after knee surgery added another layer to the shuffle, leaving Atlanta to lean on depth it has been forced to test often. For Lopez, the return puts him back in a familiar spotlight at a time when the Braves are still sorting out how their staff fits together over the stretch ahead. [Read more 🡒]