Tyler Mahle nearly did not make his start for the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday. The right-hander felt an abdominal pull while warming up before Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Mahle worked through the issue and delivered seven innings of one-run ball in the Braves’ 4-3 loss. He allowed six hits and one walk while striking out six on 95 pitches.
Braves manager Walt Weiss revealed the injury after the game, explaining that the team was unsure whether Mahle would be able to take the mound.
According to Grant McAuley of the Marietta Daily Journal, Mahle downplayed the severity of the abdominal issue after the game. He said he did not feel it affected him and would not prevent him from pitching going forward.
The performance continued a strong run for Mahle since joining Atlanta. After the Braves acquired him from the San Francisco Giants in August, he posted a 1.99 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 48 strikeouts over 54 1/3 innings in nine regular-season starts.
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Mahle’s 2026 season included an earlier stint on the injured list. The Giants placed him on the 15-day IL in May with a left hamstring strain, and he returned June 24 before being traded to Atlanta in August.
The Braves ultimately could not hold their lead after Mahle departed. Philadelphia tied the game with back-to-back eighth-inning home runs from Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper before Alec Bohm’s solo homer in the 10th gave the Phillies a 4-3 victory.
The loss forced a decisive Game 3, leaving Atlanta and Philadelphia tied 1-1 in the best-of-three series. Mahle’s immediate status will be worth monitoring, although his postgame comments indicated that he did not expect the abdominal issue to keep him from pitching again.
