HOUSTON -- The Braves have already locked up the National League East, and they appear headed into October as the NL’s No. 3 seed. Even with the division wrapped, the next week still matters because Atlanta is trying to line up its postseason staff before the calendar flips.
Chris Sale is set to start Wednesday against the Reds on six extra days of rest, and that would put him in position to take Game 1 of the Wild Card Series with an extra day off. Tyler Mahle would follow in Thursday’s series finale against Cincinnati, then would be lined up for Game 2 of the Wild Card Series with an extra day of rest as well.
The bigger question comes if the Braves need a Game 3. Grant Holmes and Martín Pérez are the two names in the mix. Holmes held the Astros to two runs over six innings on Saturday, though the contact against him was loud - eight of the 20 balls put in play were hit 100 mph or harder, and 12 were hit 95 mph or harder.
Pérez gave up one run over 4 1/3 innings against Houston on Sunday. If he starts Friday’s series opener in Miami, he would then be available for Game 3 of the Wild Card Series on extra rest. The left-hander has said he prefers regular rest, so Atlanta could choose to save that final regular-season start for Saturday in Miami instead.
Robert Suarez is another major piece to watch. He allowed one hit in a scoreless inning for Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday in a rehab outing, his first game action since his right elbow started bothering him after a June 19 appearance.
Braves manager Walt Weiss has said he would like Suarez to get a couple of big league appearances before the postseason starts, but he has stopped short of promising that will happen. That leaves some uncertainty about whether Suarez will be ready for the NL Wild Card Series, which begins Sept. 29.
Atlanta has spent much of the year believing its rotation issues could be softened by a bullpen that shortens games. Getting a healthy Suarez back alongside Didier Fuentes, Raisel Iglesias and Dylan Lee would obviously help. For now, though, Suarez remains a question mark, and Lee has been shaky in the second half.
Bryce Elder’s situation is also worth monitoring. With just three weeks having passed since he had bone fragments removed from around his right knee, he does not seem likely to factor into the Wild Card Series.
Still, Elder was cleared Saturday to throw with limited effort off the mound, and he says he is at least on schedule - maybe even a little ahead - of the three-to-four week recovery timeline given after his Sept. 8 surgery.
That could matter later. The Wild Card Series starts Sept. 29, and Game 1 of the NL Division Series comes four days after that. Sale and Mahle would not be available for that opener, so having Elder as an option in the NLDS could become important if Pérez and Holmes are both needed in the Wild Card round.
Matt Olson added one more note to the week with his two-run homer Friday against the Astros. That swing put him in rare company: he joined Hank Aaron (8), Eddie Mathews (4), Ronald Acuña Jr. and Andruw Jones as the only Braves players with multiple 40-homer seasons.
Olson also looked like he might join Aaron as the only Braves to post 80 or more extra-base hits in multiple seasons, but that chase has stalled. He entered Sunday with just nine extra-base hits over his previous 35 games. His 73 extra-base hits still rank fourth in MLB, though reaching 80 again now looks like a long shot.
In Other News...
Braves Wild Card Plans Just Changed With New Outfield Concern
The Braves outfield picture changed quickly after they added Lane Thomas from the Royals in a deadline deal for two minor league pitchers, a move meant to deepen the roster for the stretch run. Thomas was brought in to give Atlanta another experienced option, and the club was counting on that addition as it mapped out its postseason outfield mix.
Now the plan has a new wrinkle. Thomas suffered a left intercostal strain during batting practice and went on the 10-day injured list, which puts his availability for the Wild Card Series in doubt and likely knocks him out of the opener anyway. With that door closed, Atlanta is expected to lean on other players to handle his role on the postseason roster while the team adjusts on the fly. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Bullpen Picture Just Got More Interesting In Gwinnett Finale
The Gwinnett Stripers season ended with a 9-6 loss to Indianapolis, and the finish only sharpened the conversation around Atlantas bullpen depth. A late rally briefly pulled Gwinnett back into the game, but the Indians answered with three runs in the ninth inning to close it out, a reminder of how quickly the leverage picture can swing in a minor league finale.
Several names tied to the Braves relief pipeline were involved, including Michael Grove, Joe Jimnez and James Karinchak, with Karinchak taking the loss. For Atlanta, the bigger takeaway is less about one result than the mix of arms it watched in a high-pressure spot, the kind of outing that can quietly shape how the bullpen picture looks heading into the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Pitching Turnaround Is Making One Hire Look Even Bigger
After a 2025 season that sent the Braves searching for answers on the mound, Jeremy Hefner arrived in Atlanta with a reputation for making pitching staffs more than the sum of their parts. The former Mets pitching coach was brought in after leaving New York, and the early returns have given the organization reason to believe it made a sharp hire, even with injuries and an offense that has not always done its part.
Hefners value has shown up in the details of game-planning and in the way he blends analytics with hands-on coaching, turning data into something pitchers can actually use. For a staff that has leaned on veterans such as Chris Sale and Martin Perez, that approach has helped keep the group effective during the 2026 season, and it has made Atlantas decision to bring him in look even more important as the year unfolds. [Read more 🡒]