The Braves are into the postseason, and they’ve already given themselves a boost with a thrilling Game One win over their hated division rival. But if Atlanta is going to keep moving toward a World Series run, it’s going to need more than one strong night. A few of the veterans with playoff experience have to carry their weight.
That’s the challenge now: the Braves have a roster with players who know October, but the margin for error is thin. Atlanta’s path gets no easier from here, and the team will need its biggest names to show up when the games tighten.
Austin Riley is one of the first names that jumps out. He struggled through the regular season with a .219 average, 19 home runs and a .654 OPS, and his postseason track record hasn’t exactly been clean either.
Still, there’s reason for Atlanta to feel better about where he stands now. Riley caught fire late in the year, and that carried into Game One, where he delivered a massive homer to help secure the win.
Ronald Acuña Jr. has looked like himself again, which is a huge development for Atlanta. The Braves’ superstar outfielder has returned to being one of the most feared hitters in baseball, and he has already delivered some big postseason moments in his career. Atlanta needs him to be at his best and set the tone for the offense.
Matt Olson is another cornerstone who has to keep the pressure on opposing pitching. He’s coming off yet another season with 40-plus homers and remains one of the most dependable players in the lineup.
The playoff numbers are less impressive - four postseason homers and a .203 average - but Olson can flip a game in a single swing. Atlanta needs the best version of him in October.
Then there’s Raisel Iglesias, who may end up being the biggest wild card of the bunch. Iglesias stayed sharp in 2026, posting a 2.55 ERA with 34 saves and 64 strikeouts over 60 innings.
He’s still one of the top closers in baseball. The concern is his postseason résumé, which hasn’t inspired much confidence, though the sample is small.
He has only thrown 5.1 innings in the playoffs, and that makes him a major X-factor for Atlanta as the stakes rise.
If the Braves are going to keep this run alive, these are the kinds of veterans who have to make the difference.
In Other News...
Jurickson Profar Just Revived A Braves Question Fans Wont Enjoy
Jurickson Profar has lined up his next baseball stop, with Tiburones de La Guaira signing him for the 2026-27 Venezuelan league season. For Braves fans, the announcement is a reminder of a player whose time in Atlanta never got far from the larger conversation around availability and trust, especially after his PED suspension while with the club.
Profars future beyond that winter assignment remains unresolved, and so does the bigger question hanging over his baseball path. It is still unclear whether he will try to return to Major League Baseball in 2027, and if he does, whether Atlanta would be part of that conversation again. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Face One Big Question With Chance To End Phillies Series
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For Atlanta, the bigger question is how the front office and coaching staff balance the immediate need to finish the job with the longer playoff grind still ahead. The expected starting lineups give a decent picture of how each side plans to attack the game, and the bullpen choices should matter just as much once the starters hand things over. Fans can catch the action on the scheduled broadcast, but the real focus is whether the Braves can handle business at home and move on without forcing the series to another day. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Make A Risky Game 2 Lineup Call With Season On Line
The Braves shuffled their Game 2 lineup against the Phillies with Cristopher Snchez on the mound, making a clear bet on past matchups as they try to keep their season alive. Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies were moved up because of their success against Snchez, while Michael Harris II was dropped lower in the order even after a strong recent stretch, a reminder of how much postseason lineup decisions can still come down to matchup history.
Harris has brushed off the move, saying he feels good about where his game is right now and pointing to the adjustments he has made since the 2025 All-Star break as part of his steadier production. For Atlanta, the bigger question is whether leaning on those old numbers against Snchez will pay off when the margin for error is gone. [Read more 🡒]