So we have 25 of the 26 spots locked in as of now. It is really down to which one of these last two arms gets in.
First off, let me go ahead and say I do not see Dylan Lee making the cut. The Braves already have an ample amount of lefties down in the pen and I see no reason to add another.
So it is down to Spencer Strider or Drew Smyly.
As far as the NLDS goes, there is no need for a 5th starter and Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker has already said that there will be no Chavez-Smyly pairing to pitch in a game.
You also do not need me to throw out any stats to know that Smyly struggled during his tenure as an Atlanta Brave this season.
I also firmly believe that there was a reason that the Atlanta Braves seemed so hell-bent on getting strider a few opportunities to pitch before the season came to a close this past weekend.
Strikeout pitchers are important at this time of the year and that is exactly what Strider presents himself out to be. A high velocity pitcher who can punch out batters to get out of a jam. Also, it seems like every postseason a young pitcher makes a name for himself.
Maybe that name to be made this year will be young Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider?
I do think Strider will make the team over Smyly at this point. Perhaps if the Atlanta Braves make it to the NLCS once again, plans could change and Drew could find himself back on the club?
Hopefully that is a question the Atlanta Braves have to answer here in a week or so as they will hopefully defeat the Milwaukee Brewers.
I’m not saying that this will definitely be the roster as I do think the Braves will give Adrianza a chance. Whether that’s over Pache or Arcia, I do not know, but this is the roster I would start the playoffs with and see what I could do with it.
Look for the actual playoff roster to come out most likely Thursday off this week. Stay tuned here all week as we will have tons of postseason coverage.