Lane Thomas may be just about ready to give the Braves a needed boost against the Dodgers.
Walt Weiss said Thomas, who has been sidelined with an intercostal strain, is a possibility for the NLDS, according to Mark Bowman. Weiss also said Bryce Elder and Martin Perez are out with their injuries for now, though both could be back if Atlanta gets through to the NLCS.
Walt Weiss said Lane Thomas is a possibility for this Division Series against the Dodgers. Bryce Elder and Martin Perez won’t be on the roster. Both could be ready if the Braves advance to the NLCS.
- Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) October 2, 2026
That matters because Thomas brings a specific kind of value the Braves could use in this matchup. His overall numbers since arriving at the trade deadline haven’t been eye-popping, but he has handled left-handed pitching well, posting better than an .800 OPS against southpaws.
That skill set lines up neatly with what Los Angeles could throw at Atlanta. Tarik Skubal is set to start Game 1 for the Dodgers, and Blake Snell is also expected to get a start in the series. Thomas has already taken Skubal deep in the postseason once before.
Without Thomas, the Braves’ lineup gets thinner against lefties, especially after the top five or six hitters. That showed up in Games 1 and 2 of the Wild Card Series against Jesus Luzardo and Cristopher Sanchez. The challenge does not get any easier in the NLDS, which is why Thomas’ status looms so large.
In Other News...
Braves Face A Massive Game 2 Decision After NLDS Opener
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Now the attention shifts to Game 2, where Atlanta is staring at a significant pitching question with Chris Sales availability still unsettled. The Braves will need a sharper offensive night after struggling in the opener, but the bigger issue may be how Weiss pieces together the pitching plan if Sale is not available. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Fans Have Every Right To Question This October Pitching Call
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Chris Sale being available only sharpens the debate, because this was the kind of game where the Braves had every reason to lean on their best options rather than sort through lower-tier arms. Instead, they went in a direction that left plenty of room for second-guessing, and for a fan base used to thinking big in the postseason, that is exactly the kind of call that sticks. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Already Face A Bigger NLDS Problem Than The Game 1 Loss
The Braves left Dodger Stadium with a Game 1 loss, but the score may not have been the most concerning part of the night. Los Angeles got six innings of one-run ball from Tarik Skubal and three home runs from Teoscar Hernndez, Kyle Tucker and Max Muncy in a 5-3 win, all of it unfolding in near-record heat that made for a grinding October opener.
Sunday evening brings Game 2, and Atlanta now has to answer more than just the immediate damage on the scoreboard. The bigger concern is whether the Braves can settle in quickly enough against a Dodgers team that already looked comfortable, while also coping with conditions that made every inning feel heavier than usual. [Read more 🡒]