After not winning a postseason series since their 2021 World Series championship, the Atlanta Braves got back in the playoff win column in 2026 with a 2-1 Wild Card series win against their rival Philadelphia Phillies.
The win has to feel great for Braves fans, who saw that same Phillies team eliminate them in the 2022 and 2023 NLDS’. As for what is up next, the team will be taking on the high-powered Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2026 NLDS.
Atlanta’s starting rotation is admittedly quite thin at the moment, with only three starting pitchers currently healthy. Those arms are lefty Chris Sale and right-handers Tyler Mahle and Grant Holmes.
Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Sale, their ace, threw a total of 116 pitches during the Wild Card series, 21 of which coming on Thursday night. The Braves are in Los Angeles for games 1 and 2 on Saturday and Sunday, which complicates matters.
Sale will likely not be ready for Game 2 on Sunday on what is essentially two days’ rest. David Vassegh of MLB Network reported Friday that manager Walt Weiss would not commit to Sale starting Sunday, and also said starters Martín Pérez and Bryce Elder will not be on the NLDS roster.
Game 1’s starter has yet to be announced either, and if Sale cannot get Game 2 then perhaps it would Mahle or Holmes. The Braves are really going to have to get creative in order to give their bats a chance to win this series.
Throughout the regular season, the club gave the 37-year-old Sale ample rest between outings, usually at least five or six days and sometimes more. The hope is for that schedule to possibly have made him fresher for the postseason.
An interesting wrinkle that may have developed during that Wild Card for the Braves was the emergence of lefty long reliever Ray Kerr. He threw 47 pitches on Thursday while keeping the Phillies scoreless.
He could likely open one of the early games in the series, or at least give some innings out of the bullpen. As for Sale, he could theoretically be ready to go for Tuesday’s Game 3 in Atlanta on full rest.
