The NLDS is set to begin, and the Atlanta Braves have their work cut out for them. Since the Braves were forced into a full three-game Wild Card series before eliminating the Phillies, Atlanta flew across the country and had just a single day off to reset before taking on a well-rested Dodgers squad loaded with stars.
With the start of another playoff series comes a litany of updates around the team and how things stand heading into the series against the NL juggernauts. Most of what we have learned was pretty much as expected, but a few updates were definitely interesting and may have fallen through the cracks if you weren't paying attention.
Braves to go with bullpen game for Game One, but who exactly will pitch remains a bit of a mystery
Winning Game One would go a LONG way towards making it possible for the Braves to upset the Dodgers. Yes, Atlanta went 5-1 against LA during the regular season, but the Dodgers are close to full strength now, and the Braves were unable to line up their pitching. If they can win under those circumstances, the Dodgers might be in trouble.
In order to do so, the Braves are going with a bullpen game for the series opener. It seems unlikely that Game Three hero Ray Kerr will be used, given that he threw 47 pitches on Thursday. Beyond that, and possibly trying to stay away from Didier Fuentes after he threw three days straight, anything could happen. Conventional wisdom suggests multi-inning relievers Brent Suter and Victor Mederos will play a prominent role, but Atlanta could carry JR Ritchie and/or AJ Smith-Shawver to try and cover even more innings.
Braves may be able to avoid unique tax bill after all thanks to bipartisan push
Being a publicly traded company has benefits for the Braves and their owners, but it is also poised to be a significant financial headache starting next year. A new tax law is set to go into effect, and it could cost the team around $20 million a year, which, unfortunately, probably wouldn't help any attempts to push the Braves' payroll to greater heights.
Thankfully, there is hope that cooler heads will prevail. While getting anything done in Congress right now is functionally impossible, a bipartisan push to make the Braves exempt from the new tax law is starting to gain some momentum in both the House and Senate. The law itself doesn't target the Braves to begin with, and odds are good that the intention wasn't to make the team the only organization in MLB that would be subject to it. If Republicans and Democrats are coming together to try and fix a problem these days, that should be seen as a good sign.
Lane Thomas may be healthy enough to make the NLDS roster, Bryce Elder is progressing well
The Braves have tough playoff roster choices to make to maximize their chances against the Dodgers. Odds are good their roster gambit from the Wild Card round will repeat, as only carrying 11 pitchers for a five-game series is asking for trouble. That likely means a bit of a roster shuffle is coming, especially with the updates on Lane Thomas and Bryce Elder's injuries.
Walt Weiss said Lane Thomas is a possibility for this Division Series against the Dodgers. Bryce Elder and Martin Perez won’t be on the roster. Both could be ready if the Braves advance to the NLCS.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) October 2, 2026
According to manager Walt Weiss, Thomas’ intercostal muscle injury has improved enough that he could make the NLDS roster. While his initial stint with the Braves after being acquired at the trade deadline hasn't been great, he has historically hit lefties very well. With Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, Tanner Scott, and several other southpaws, the Braves will take all the help they can get. As for Elder, he will not be ready for the NLDS, but might be ready in time to play in the NLCS if the Braves get that far.
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