The Braves had their Game 3 NLDS lineup ready, and then a late twist changed the look of it just hours before first pitch.
Ronald Acuña Jr. was moved to designated hitter after dealing with a sore knee that has lingered since he slid on Sunday. That shift pushed Lane Thomas into right field and knocked Sean Murphy out of the lineup entirely.
Acuna's knee has been sore since he slid during Sunday's game. So, they will use him at DH tonight. Lane Thomas will now be in right and Sean Murphy is no longer in the lineup. https://t.co/koRd2fgwDU
- Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) October 6, 2026
The Braves have generally liked using both Drake Baldwin and Murphy together in their preferred catching setup, and that had been the expectation for Game 3 as well. Instead, the injury scare forced Atlanta to adjust on the fly.
There’s no reason to sound the alarm yet, since Acuña Jr. is still in the lineup and able to play. But if the soreness is enough to move him off the field and into the DH spot, that’s an easy call for the Braves. The bigger concern is whether the knee gets worse and becomes an issue later in the postseason.
The change also means Lane Thomas is in line to face Yoshinobu Yamamoto, one of the tougher right-handed pitchers in baseball. Thomas has not hit much since Atlanta traded for him at the deadline, so it’s hardly the cleanest setup for the Braves. Of course, there’s no guarantee Murphy would have solved that matchup either, but it’s not the arrangement Atlanta had in mind.
Still, there are a couple of clear upsides. Murphy can be used as a pinch hitter later in the game, which could matter against the Dodgers’ bullpen full of high-octane arms.
He also gets a little extra rest and remains available if Baldwin runs into trouble. And if Baldwin is catching Chris Sale, that’s not exactly the toughest assignment in the world.
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