A familiar foe returns for Braves fans as the Phillies head back into town Tuesday for the National League Wild Card Series.
The first round of the postseason has been a thorn in the Braves’ side, ending their season in each of the last two times they made the playoffs, but this team is different from those previous teams.
It all starts and ends with the Braves’ pitching, and for the first time in years, they are confident heading into October.
Starters Playing Great at the Right Time
In a year filled with countless injuries to the Braves’ starters, they remained one of baseball’s most dominant staffs.
If it weren’t for Brewers’ ace Jacob Misiorowski, Chris Sale would have been a runaway favorite for the National League Cy Young Award. He pitched 200 innings with a 2.16 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP and has been the ace of this Braves squad.
He will get the ball in Game 1 of the series, and the Braves are fully confident that he will dominate and go deep into the game. This will set up the rest of the Wild Card Series for the staff.
The rest of the starting rotation for the Braves has been up and down this season, but the deadline acquisition of Tyler Mahle appears to be the most important addition in baseball. He has been nothing short of dominant since putting on a Braves jersey.
In his nine games as a Brave, Mahle holds a 1.99 ERA with seven quality starts. He’s been the clear No. 2 pitcher for the Braves since joining the staff and is expected to continue his dominance in the postseason, as he is set to start Game 2. Game 3, if needed, will most likely see Grant Holmes pitching for the Braves.
Holmes has been pitching better lately. Ultimately, throughout his career, he has struggled to get through a lineup more than once. His leash as a starter is very thin, so he is expected to stay in the bullpen as a piggyback option for Mahle if needed.
What will truly carry the Braves this postseason will be the bullpen’s impact.
Deepest Bullpen in Baseball
There is no denying how deep and electric the Braves’ bullpen is heading into the postseason, but what stands out is how many guys can serve as a bridge to the back end of the bullpen.
AJ Smith-Shawver made the Braves postseason roster in hopes of taking innings in the bullpen. His return to Atlanta’s starting rotation hasn’t been what the pitching staff hoped for, but the bullpen still has multi-inning hopes for him.
He’s hit 100 mph on his fastball from the bullpen with a strong splitter and curveball. He’s been extended to two or three innings in his appearances from the bullpen. Expectations are that he will bridge the gap between starters and closers for two innings.
Dylan Dodd and Victor Mederos have done nothing but dominate for the Braves out of the bullpen this season.
Dodd, converted from a starter to a reliever, has been reliable for the Braves as a sinker-and-cutter specialist. While he’s used predominantly against lefties, he’s shown the same dominance against righties.
Mederos was a midseason acquisition from the Angels. The Braves have turned him into a hard-throwing energy piece from the bullpen. He throws hard and brings a lot of energy to the mound. Mederos became a fan favorite very quickly after being acquired. This energy will be contagious in the postseason and will lift the staff.
Both are expected to pitch one inning in multiple games, while Brent Suter will be the bullpen’s innings eater. Acquired in a deadline trade, he has been nothing but solid for the Braves, allowing zero runs across multiple-inning relief appearances.
The Braves’ Closing Shift
The Braves have four arms in the back end of the bullpen that can rival any team in baseball. These pitchers are Dylan Lee, Didier Fuentes, Robert Suarez and Raisel Iglesias.
Lee has appeared in the most games for Atlanta this season and has been the setup man for closer Iglesias most of the season. Though Lee has struggled as of late, the Braves have more than enough depth to cover if his hardships continue.
Expectations are for Lee to remain a vital part of the bullpen and continue dominating as he did earlier in the season.
Fuentes debuted as a starter as the youngest pitcher in baseball last season and got mashed on. Things have rapidly changed for the now 21-year-old.
He’s become a valuable tool for the Braves’ bullpen, taking on multiple innings in any outing with little effort. When Fuentes enters a game, the Braves often pull him in the ninth inning and bring in Iglesias to get the save.
He now throws up to 100 mph while having a great slider and splitter to keep hitters off balance. The Braves hope that they can stretch Fuentes’ pitch count to its limit. They want to use the young pitcher as much as possible.
Robert Suarez will be the question mark of the Braves’ pitching staff. He spent three months on the IL before the Braves activated Sept. 23. He has flashed strong stuff in his limited appearances. The Braves trust him enough to be a major factor on the playoff roster. While his role will not be stretched, he will still be a major factor in the bullpen.
Rasiel Iglesias
Raisel Iglesias has been rock solid as the Braves’ closer this season. With 34 saves and a 2.55 ERA, he has continued to be reliable for the bullpen.
He found his rhythm heading into the postseason, which made quick innings look routine. When he takes the mound, he has consistently found a way to lead the Braves to another win.
This pitching staff will decide how far the Braves go in the postseason. If they can escape the Wild Card, their depth will benefit them greatly. The Braves remain hopeful of bringing another World Series title back to Atlanta.
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