As of the morning of September 18, the Atlanta Braves have only nine games left on their 2026 regular season schedule. After traveling to Houston for a three-game set against the Astros, the Braves return home for a series against the Reds before finishing the season out in Miami against the Marlins. As near locks to make it to the playoffs and likely division winners, the next couple of weeks are mostly about staying healthy and being as fresh as possible when the postseason arrives.
Thursday was a good start towards those goals, as the Braves got a much-needed day off. As for what else has been going on in the world of the Braves, here are some of the news tidbits that you may have missed the last couple of days.
Braves to bump Chris Sale's next start to line him up to start Wild Card series on extra rest
The Braves have been very intentional with how they have deployed Chris Sale this season. Given his age and injury history, Atlanta has given Sale extra rest as much as has been reasonably possible, and he has rewarded that with one of the best seasons of his career where he is likely to finish as at least a Cy Young finalist (don't be mad, Jacob Misiorowski has just been insane).
The team isn't abandoning that plan now, as Braves manager Walt Weiss revealed they were bumping Sale's next start and that he will now pitch against the Reds next Wednesday. Doing so not only gives Sale some extra rest between starts, but also lines him up to start the impending Wild Card series on extra rest as well.
Austin Riley nominated for 2026 Roberto Clemente Award
The Roberto Clemente Award recognizes one player each year for their commitment to philanthropy and positive community contributions off the field. The award's namesake was famous for his community service before he died in a plane crash during a trip to provide aid to victims of the 1972 Managua earthquake.
Each team nominates a player for the Clemente Award every year, and the Braves' 2026 nominee is Austin Riley. Riley has focused on veterans of the military, including helping with Operation Home Team, which recognizes veterans at Truist Park every Wednesday home game, as well as Riley’s annual charity golf tournament that benefits The Warrior Alliance.
Didier Fuentes named as a potential breakout reliever candidate in the upcoming playoffs
Outside of Atlanta, Didier Fuentes has been a secret weapon. Given that Fuentes doesn't have the closer title and has so little experience, most other fanbases are not that familiar with him. While that makes sense with most non-closing relievers, that may change with Fuentes in the upcoming playoffs if Fuentes can keep dominating out of the bullpen as he has.
MLB's Mike Petriello just put out a list of relievers that could become household names in the upcoming postseason, and Fuentes was one of the eight bullpen arms selected. Petriello noted not only Fuentes' incredible stretch as a reliever overall, but also how his pitching metrics had improved significantly in the second half despite still being the youngest pitcher on any MLB roster.
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