The Braves may still be sorting out their own postseason fate, but they’re not the only familiar faces fans have to keep an eye on. A handful of former Atlanta players are still attached to teams that have a real shot at playing in October, and the list runs through a mix of ex-Braves stars, bullpen arms and one-time depth pieces who have found new lives elsewhere.
Some of those clubs are firmly in the thick of it, while others are hanging around the edge of the race and trying to stay relevant. Either way, there’s a decent chance Atlanta observers will be seeing a few old friends pop up when the bracket finally comes into focus.
The Tigers are the first stop, even if their hopes are hanging by a thread. Tyler Kinley and Kenley Jansen are both on Detroit’s active roster, and the team is still alive despite being in rough shape. Kinley was a major part of the Braves’ bullpen before his season unraveled, while Jansen brought Atlanta a one-year cameo in 2022 and remains a likely future Hall of Fame closer.
The Cubs have a trio of former Braves in the mix, and they’re one of the more dangerous teams still waiting to officially clinch. Dansby Swanson is still giving Chicago elite defense at shortstop even if the offense remains maddening at times.
Kevin Gausman had an uneven run in Atlanta before turning into a perennial Cy Young candidate and a hot trade-deadline name. Jacob Webb, meanwhile, came through the Braves system as a promising reliever before settling into the life of a journeyman bullpen arm.
Houston’s active roster includes Nick Allen, whom Atlanta sent to the Astros last offseason in the Mauricio Dubon trade. The deal has worked out in different ways for both sides.
The Braves got a versatile player who was unexpectedly useful at the plate in the first half and then provided help after Ha-Seong Kim got hurt. The Astros, on the other hand, got the player Allen has basically always been: a glove-first bench infielder.
The twist is that he’s hitting .279 in 2026, which is just a bonus.
Caleb Durbin is now with the Red Sox, and his path away from Atlanta has already turned into one of those trades that keeps looking worse in hindsight. The Braves dealt him to the Yankees in the ill-fated Lucas Luetge trade, then Durbin went from New York to Milwaukee, emerged as a real Rookie of the Year candidate, and eventually landed in Boston, where he has become a key part of the lineup.
Chicago’s White Sox are also still in the race, and they’ve got two former Braves on the roster in Erick Fedde and Sean Newcomb. Fedde struggled badly with Atlanta, putting up an 8.10 ERA in 23.1 innings, but he has been much more useful for the White Sox this season as a spot starter and swingman, with a 3.97 ERA.
His 5.12 FIP suggests some of that could come back to earth. Newcomb, once one of the Braves’ most gifted young arms, was eventually pushed out because of control problems and has since carved out a solid role as a left-handed reliever.
The Rangers are just outside the AL Wild Card picture, but they still have two former Braves in the fold with Nicky Lopez and Joc Pederson. Pederson was part of the emotional core of Atlanta’s 2021 World Series run, while Lopez had a brief 25-game stint with the Braves that same season.
In Philadelphia, Bryan De La Cruz has given the Phillies a useful boost as they try to lock down their postseason spot and possibly chase the Braves in the NL East. In 74 plate appearances for the Phillies in 2026, he’s hitting .303/.351/.439, a sharp rebound from his time in Atlanta last season, when he finished with a .453 OPS before the Braves let him go.
And then there’s Michael Soroka, whose return to form has been one of the more notable ex-Braves stories of the year. Aside from a minor injury in July, 2026 has been a resurgent season for him.
In 20 appearances, including 19 starts, he has posted a 3.45 ERA and 3.08 FIP in 104.1 innings for the Diamondbacks. James McCann is also on Arizona’s active roster, though he was only catching depth in the minors for the Braves.
The Diamondbacks, though, are still fighting hard just to stay in the race at all.
In Other News...
Braves Are One Win Away But This Feels Far From Comfortable
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Still, the recent dip in run production since September has made this feel like a night the Braves have to survive rather than simply win. Some of their hitters have handled Imanaga well in the past, and Atlanta may need every edge it can find if it wants to turn a near-clinch into something more secure while also keeping the bigger division picture in view. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Pitching Shuffle Just Sent A Clear Stretch Run Message
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Falter has more than three years of service time, so he could elect free agency, though he is expected to accept the assignment and remain in the organization. If he does, he may still get one more turn with Gwinnett before that season ends, while Atlanta keeps leaning on depth options as it lines up the rotation for the games that matter most. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Fans Will Love What Mets Frustration Just Exposed
The Mets 2026 stumble has turned a lot of familiar noise into something louder, and not just inside Queens. With frustration building around the clubs ownership and front office, the reaction around Citi Field has started to reflect how thin the margin has become between patience and exasperation. Even a moment meant to celebrate the home side can quickly become a referendum on where things stand.
Pete Alonsos reception in a recent game against the Mets offered one of the clearest signs yet, with the former Mets slugger drawing cheers after a milestone home run. Sean Manaea said he was surprised by the fans support for an opposing player, a small admission that says plenty about the mood around the team. For Braves fans, it is the kind of messy Mets backdrop that can feel almost too on brand, and it only adds to the sense that the division picture is shifting in Atlantas favor. [Read more 🡒]