When Atlanta Braves pitcher Bryce Elder underwent knee surgery earlier this month, the expectation was that his season was basically finished. Even though the surgical procedure was minor, recovering in time to garner any rehab work was not in the cards.
However, when manager Walt Weiss was asked about Elder's progress, he gave a very upbeat answer. On Wednesday, Jesus Cano of The Athletic reported that Elder was moving around well and pitching off a mound ahead of Atlanta's series opener against the Reds. This is welcome news for Elder, and greatly increases his chances of pitching again in 2026. However, just because Elder's recovery has gone well does not mean you should expect him to start any of Atlanta's postseason games.
Hello and good afternoon from Truist Park on this fine Tuesday.
— Chad Bishop (@MrChadBishop) September 22, 2026
Bryce Elder throwing a bullpen here right now. Reynaldo López also doing some long toss in the outfield.
If Bryce Elder does return in the postseason, the Braves will likely bring him out the bullpen
It's easy to forget, but Elder was about to shift into a bullpen role before his knee injury. Elder made 26 starts this season before his injury, and posted a 4.11 ERA, 4.61 FIP, and 1.3 bWAR. However, much of that stat line is carried by an incredible April and May. For that reason, if Elder returns, he will serve as Atlanta's emergency starter or additional bullpen depth.
Elder is definitely not making the Wild Card round playoff roster as a starter, considering it's a three-game series. Should the Braves make the NLDS, Elder's chances of making the postseason roster increase. We know the plan is for Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle to make postseason starts. Anything beyond Atlanta's top-two arms is an educated guess.
Most expect one of Grant Holmes or Martin Perez to make a postseason start, and a deep bullpen to get a ton of work to cover the remaining innings. Now that Robert Suarez has returned, Atlanta's bullpen truly is very deep. If Atlanta were to go with higher "stuff" arms like JR Ritchie or AJ Smith-Shawver in the playoffs, Elder could be squeezed off the NLDS roster, too.
Truthfully, it may take another injury to someone on Atlanta's postseason pitching staff for Elder to become a factor in a would-be NLDS. Regardless, it's nice to know Elder has recovered ahead of schedule, and he is there if the Braves need him. Do not rule out an Elder appearance in October, but if it does reach that point, we know what his role will be.
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