A lot’s happened since Matthew discussed the Atlanta Braves potential playoff roster a few days ago, so an update seems in order.
Since MLB and the TV networks built so many off days in the postseason schedule, teams generally carry ten pitchers and fifteen position players. At 96-62, the Atlanta Braves have four games left to shake the rust off a few players and decide who makes up the final 25.
Unless something else happens, the fifteen position players aren’t a mystery. The Braves have 15 uninjured players. With Ender Inciarte due back Friday that makes the answer “all of those not injured except Rafael Ortega and catcher John Ryan Murphy”.
Ortega arrived from AAA hot and hit that grand slam in first start – tenth PA – after joining the team. After going 0-8 in Miami, he put together a seven-game streak when he went 9-32 but produced only a .677 OPS.
Since then, he’s batted .118/211/.147/.358 (4-34 and four walks). He only stays if Inciarte isn’t ready. Even then, a pitcher might be a better choice.
The Braves remaining decisions are the order of the starting pitchers and the name of the tenth pitcher.
Atlanta Braves projected starting pitchers
No mystery surrounds the first three starters for the Atlanta Braves, the only question needing an answer the order manager Brian Snitker chooses to use them.
Julio Teheran goes on Tuesday [update: and he didn’t make it through 3 innings] and Mike Soroka on Wednesday; no word yet on the rotation for the final three games. On normal rest, we’d see Mike Foltynewicz, Max Fried, and Dallas Keuchel. That would make Fried the Thursday starter, but that won’t happen.
All of these off days would allow The Braves to pitch Fried Friday, Keuchel, Saturday, and Foltynewicz on Sunday, but I don’t think that happens either. I expect Keuchel to start game one, Soroka game two, Foltynewicz game three and depending on the situation, Fried in game four.
If that’s the plan, they’ll need to get Fried and Foltynewicz some innings. You might see them piggyback those two in the first Mets game to do that.