The Braves’ playoff roster picture has shifted in a real way over the past week, and the biggest reason is simple: injuries have cracked the door open.
Reynaldo Lopez and Lane Thomas being out has changed the conversation around who gets October spots, and in this second crack at projecting the Braves’ postseason group, a few names that would have been long shots not long ago suddenly look like legitimate possibilities.
On the pitching side, the Braves would only need three starters in a three-game Wild Card series, which means one of the top arms has to slide into bullpen duty. Right now, that pitcher looks like Grant Holmes.
Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle are lined up for Games 1 and 2. If the series ends up going the full three games at Truist Park, Martin Perez looks like the strongest bet for Game 3.
The case for him is pretty loud: over his last six home starts in Atlanta, he’s posted a 0.28 ERA. Even with that, Holmes isn’t being dismissed.
He’s been solid enough over the last couple of months to stay in the mix.
The bullpen group includes Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suarez, Dylan Lee, Didier Fuentes, Brent Suter, Victor Mederos, Ray Kerr, Dylan Dodd, and AJ Smith-Shawver.
Suarez is still being held out there as a possible playoff return, though the concern is growing. Smith-Shawver is also in the mix as a bullpen option because of the upside he brings.
One other name to keep an eye on is JR Ritchie. He’s set to start tomorrow in Chicago and could get one more look before the regular season ends.
If he handles that assignment well, he may force his way onto the roster.
Behind the plate, Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin are the two catchers.
The infield group is Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, Mauricio Dubon, Austin Riley, and Ha-Seong Kim. Kim’s spot is no longer really up for debate.
Lane Thomas’ injury opened another path, and Kim has backed it up by coming through in big moments late in the season. That kind of bat off the bench gives Walt Weiss a real option when the game is on the line.
Dominic Smith is the designated hitter.
In the outfield, the names are Ronald Acuña Jr., Michael Harris, Mike Yastrzemski, Brewer Hicklen, and DaShawn Keirsey Jr.
Without Lane Thomas, that group gets thin fast. Hicklen’s place now looks locked in, and Keirsey makes the cut for one clear reason: speed. In October, that kind of weapon off the bench matters.
In Other News...
Braves Quietly Added A New Arm And The Bullpen Implications Matter
The Braves picked up another arm just as the regular season enters its final stretch, claiming right-hander Michael Grove off waivers from the Rays while Tampa Bay was sorting through its own late-season roster moves. Grove gives Atlanta another live option to plug into the pitching mix, and any addition at this stage tends to carry extra weight for a bullpen that can always use more coverage as the calendar winds down.
The move also came against a backdrop of more shuffling elsewhere on the Rays' roster, with Tyler Wells landing on the 15-day injured list because of right forearm tightness and ending his regular season. Alex Cook was brought up from Triple-A Durham to take Wells' place, while Jake Fraley returned from the 60-day injured list and Kenny Piper was sent back to Triple-A, a reminder of how quickly September roster management can change the look of a pitching staff. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Move On From Pitcher Still Trying To Rebound From Surgery
The Braves added another arm to the organizational pile Monday, claiming right-hander Michael Grove off waivers from the Rays and sending him to Triple-A Gwinnett. It is the kind of depth move that can matter more than it looks on the surface for a club trying to survive a rash of rotation injuries, especially with a pitcher who has worked both as a starter and a reliever in the majors.
Grove had been designated for assignment by Tampa Bay before Atlanta stepped in, giving the Braves a low-cost way to keep a familiar major league option in the system. For now, he gives them some extra flexibility at Gwinnett while the bigger question remains how soon the big league staff can get healthier. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Deadline Pickup Is Suddenly Fueling A Serious MLB Debate
Tyler Mahle has become one of the more interesting pitching stories in the league since landing with Atlanta at the deadline. In seven starts with the Braves, he has turned in a 1.25 ERA, a stretch that has not only stabilized the rotation but also forced people to reexamine how the trade market looks in hindsight. When a pitcher arrives at a lower cost and immediately performs like this, it is hard not to compare the deal to the bigger names that changed uniforms around the same time.
Jeff Francoeur has already gone as far as calling Mahle the best pitcher to move midseason, and the argument has enough fuel to keep circulating. Tarik Skubal has been solid with the Dodgers over the same number of appearances, but Atlantas return has been the cleaner headline so far, especially considering what it took to get Mahle. Still, these evaluations are always fluid this time of year, and the final verdict may depend on how both pitchers finish the season. [Read more 🡒]