The Braves got a little encouraging news on Lane Thomas before everything went sideways in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card.
Thomas, one of Atlanta’s key trade deadline additions this summer, has been out since September 8 with a strained left intercostal muscle. But on Wednesday, he took batting practice before the 2 p.m. game at Truist Park, and he also handled some outfield drills a couple of days earlier. According to a few Braves insiders, that work has created some belief that he could be ready for the NLDS if Atlanta can get there.
That possibility mattered because Thomas would have fit neatly into this matchup. His speed and his work against left-handed pitching would have been especially useful with the Braves facing two southpaw starters in the first two games of the series.
For a while, Atlanta had reason to feel better about its chances. The Braves opened the Wild Card round with a win over the Phillies, and Tyler Mahle - an unexpected but vital piece for this postseason run - was excellent in Game 2 after some early trouble. But the bullpen’s collapse changed everything, and now the Braves are staring at the kind of elimination scenario they were trying to avoid all season.
If Atlanta can somehow survive and move on, Thomas would be a welcome addition. He may not be the biggest name in the lineup, but his platoon value is real, and his career numbers against that kind of matchup tell the story: a .287/.360/.489 slash line with 50 doubles, 30 homers, and an .848 OPS.
For now, though, the Braves’ hopeful update on Thomas is just that - hopeful. Whether it turns into something more depends entirely on what happens next.
In Other News...
Braves Fans Had To Love How Fast This Phillies Jinx Backfired
The broadcast booth did Atlanta a favor in Game 3 of the National League wild-card series, even if not by design. Joey Votto, in his first season as an in-game analyst after a long run as a player, suggested the Braves would not score again, only for Atlanta to answer with two runs later in the inning and turn the prediction into instant bulletin-board material.
For Braves fans, it was the kind of jinx that aged badly almost immediately and made for a small but satisfying subplot in a tense postseason game. Vottos stint in the role is limited to the wild-card round, since NBC does not have rights beyond that stage, so the misfire came in a brief audition that the Braves and their supporters will remember for the wrong reason. [Read more 🡒]
Braves May Have Created A Huge Chris Sale Problem Before Dodgers Series
Chris Sale gave the Braves exactly the kind of punch they needed in Game 3, even if it came in an unusual spot. After being lined up to start Game 2 and having already thrown 95 pitches two days earlier, Sale volunteered to come out of the bullpen and delivered 1 sharp innings in relief, striking out Bryce Harper and Otto Lopez as Atlanta grabbed the postseason win over the Phillies.
The immediate reward was obvious, but the longer-term cost is now part of the conversation as the Division Series shifts to the Dodgers. Walt Weiss said Sale stepped up when the Braves needed him, and that kind of flexibility matters in October, yet it also raises a real question about what he has left if Atlanta needs him again soon in a much bigger series. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Catch A Huge NLDS Break As Braves Rotation Thins
The Braves pitching plan took a hit before the National League Division Series even got underway, with Martn Prez landing on the 15-day injured list because of lower back inflammation. Manager Walt Weiss said Prez will not be available against the Dodgers, though there is still a chance he could return if Atlanta keeps moving into the NLCS. For a rotation already needing to cover a lot of ground in October, losing a veteran arm at this stage changes the shape of the series.
Atlanta will have to piece together innings with other options, including AJ Smith-Shawver and JR Ritchie, and that puts even more pressure on a staff trying to navigate one of the postseasons toughest lineups. The Dodgers were already a demanding matchup, and now the Braves have to find a way through it without one of the pitchers they were counting on to help steady the middle of games. [Read more 🡒]