Tyler Mahle has provided an encouraging injury update with the Atlanta Braves facing elimination against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the National League Division Series.
Mahle is scheduled to start Wednesday night with Atlanta trailing 2-1 in the best-of-five series. The right-hander recently dealt with an abdominal issue, but he does not believe it will prevent him from taking the mound.
According to 680 The Fan’s Barrett Sallee, Mahle downplayed the severity of the injury and said it has not affected him.
Mahle’s health became a concern after he experienced abdominal discomfort during his warmups before his Wild Card Series start against the Philadelphia Phillies. Despite the issue, he delivered seven innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts.
The Braves will need another strong performance from Mahle with their season on the line. Atlanta fell behind in the series after the Dodgers won Game 3 by a 10-0 score, leaving the Braves one loss away from elimination.
Mahle has also been an important addition since joining Atlanta. After struggling earlier in the season, he finished the regular season with a 4-1 record, a 1.99 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP across nine starts for the Braves.
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Those numbers helped make Mahle a key part of Atlanta’s pitching staff, and the Braves will now need him to deliver in their biggest game of the season.
The good news is that Mahle does not believe his abdominal issue will affect him. He reportedly said it would not stop him from pitching Wednesday or in the future.
Now, Atlanta needs that confidence to translate to the mound. A strong outing from Mahle would give the Braves a chance to force a decisive Game 5, while another loss would bring their season to an end.
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