The Braves are turning to Ray Kerr for tonight’s Game 3 start against the Phillies, and that decision says plenty about how Atlanta is approaching this elimination spot.
With a trip to the Divisional Series hanging in the balance, the Braves are expected to lean hard on their bullpen, and Kerr gives them a way to attack the game with tactics rather than a traditional starter’s script. Grant Holmes had been a possibility, but Atlanta went in a different direction for the final game of the series.
For Kerr, it’s a remarkable turn. He missed the entire 2026 season, made his way back to the bullpen a couple of months ago, earned a spot on the Wild Card Series roster and now gets the ball to start. Perseverance matters and Kerr is full of it.
The choice also fits what he’s already done this season. Kerr has gone three innings in four different outings, including a three-inning scoreless performance against the Phillies on September 13.
In that game, he struck out four, allowed one hit and didn’t walk anybody. Atlanta would gladly take that again tonight.
His most recent outing, on September 25, was more of the same: three scoreless innings, two hits allowed and one walk. He’s shown he can cover multiple frames efficiently, and that kind of length could be crucial for a Braves team trying to survive and advance.
What happens after Kerr could shape the rest of the night. Grant Holmes could follow in relief, and if he gives Atlanta three innings, that would get the Braves through to the sixth before they can really start deploying the bigger arms in the bullpen. It’s also unclear whether Didier Fuentes and Dylan Lee will both appear, but the rest of the bullpen looks available.
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Instead, Atlanta kept leaving chances on the table. The Braves had multiple opportunities to break through, including a bases-loaded situation in the sixth inning, but could not fully cash in when the game was there to be taken. With the pitching doing its part and the offense unable to finish the job, it became one of those postseason losses that felt bigger than the final score. [Read more 🡒]