If Atlanta keeps moving through the postseason bracket, the road only gets trickier from there - and not just because of the teams left standing. The Braves could wind up staring down a few old friends along the way, the kind of familiar faces that make October feel a little more personal.
One of the biggest threats on that front is William Contreras. Atlanta traded him a few years ago when it decided Sean Murphy was the better fit behind the plate, a move that made sense at the time because the Braves wanted a catcher who was stronger defensively and as a game-caller.
But Murphy has battled injuries since then, while Contreras has turned into one of the best catchers in baseball. Before the trade, he was coming off a season with 20 homers and 2.6 rWAR, and since leaving Atlanta he has averaged 3.8 rWAR and nearly 19 home runs per year.
His offense has dipped a bit in 2026, but if the Braves and Brewers cross paths, there’s no doubt he’ll have extra motivation.
Freddie Freeman is the name everyone would circle first. The longtime Braves centerpiece eventually landed with the Dodgers after his agent, as the source puts it, seemingly botched negotiations for a return to Atlanta.
Freeman later fired that agent, but the move sent him to Los Angeles, where he has been a problem ever since. He’s 36 now and showing more wear than before: 2026 was his first regular season since 2012 with an OPS below .800, and it also marked the first time in a non-shortened season that he didn’t reach 20 homers in a decade.
Even so, Freeman can still do damage, and that alone makes him a dangerous obstacle for Atlanta.
Then there’s Evan Phillips, a name some fans may not immediately connect to the Braves. He actually spent time in Atlanta early on, making eight appearances before being dealt to the Orioles in the Kevin Gausman and Darren O'Day trade.
His career took time to take off, but he eventually became a key bullpen arm for the Dodgers. Injuries have slowed him, and he’s only now getting back on track after Tommy John surgery.
Still, if the Braves are trying to scrape offense together late in a close game, facing Phillips and his sweep would be a tough assignment.
In Other News...
Braves Fans Had To Love How Fast This Phillies Jinx Backfired
The Braves did not need much help finding a spark in Game 3 of the National League wild-card series, but they did get a little extra fuel from the broadcast booth. During the inning, Joey Votto, working his first season as a broadcaster after a long playing career, predicted Atlanta would not score again. The line landed almost immediately as the Braves pushed across two runs later in the same frame, turning the comment into a quick punchline for fans watching along.
For Atlanta followers, it was the kind of accidental jinx that can make a postseason night even sweeter when it backfires so fast. Vottos run in the analyst chair is only temporary, though, since NBC does not have rights beyond the wild-card round, so this was one of his final games in the role. For a Braves crowd that has lived through plenty of October nerves, it was a small but satisfying reminder that the baseball gods can still have a sense of humor. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Just Got A Real Opening In Winner-Take-All Game 3
The Phillies are making a notable pivot for their winner-take-all Game 3 against the Braves, choosing Aaron Nola over Zack Wheeler on the mound. It is the kind of decision that can reshape the feel of an elimination game before the first pitch, especially for an Atlanta lineup that has spent the series trying to force every edge it can get.
Nolas 2026 season has been uneven, but Philadelphia is clearly leaning on his past postseason success against the Braves as the safer answer for this matchup. The move also leaves some intrigue hanging over the other side of the dugout, because Wheelers strong season made him the more obvious choice and left plenty of room to wonder why the Phillies went a different direction. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Just Added A Dangerous Game 3 Wrinkle For Phillies
With a decisive Game 3 looming in the National League Wild Card Series, the Braves appear willing to leave every option on the table. Manager Walt Weiss said left-handed ace Chris Sale could be available out of the bullpen, even on one day of rest, after he turned in a strong outing in Game 1.
That possibility alone adds another layer of pressure on the Phillies in an elimination game, because it gives Atlanta a way to shorten the night if the matchup turns tight late. For a series already hanging by a thread, the chance that Sale could surface in relief is the kind of wrinkle that can change how both dugouts manage every inning. [Read more 🡒]