Predicting the Atlanta Braves playoff roster (2.0)

As I’ll do each week leading up to the postseason, it’s time for the second edition of predicting the Braves’ playoff roster.

Typically, there’s not a ton of movement from week to week, but a couple of significant injuries to Reynaldo Lopez and Lane Thomas have really opened the door for several players who would have never been considered for October baseball just a few weeks ago.

Braves 2026 Playoff Roster

Starting Pitchers

1. Chris Sale
2. Tyler Mahle
3. Martin Perez
4. Grant Holmes

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In a three-game Wild Card series, only three starters are needed, so one of these guys will be pitching out of the bullpen. At this very moment, I believe that player will be Grant Holmes.

Sale and Mahle will pitch Games 1 and 2 — and because the Wild Card series will likely take place at Truist Park, Martin Perez feels like the most likely option for a winner-take-all Game 3. His numbers at home recently have been downright absurd, posting a 0.28 ERA in Atlanta over his last six starts. However, I still wouldn’t write that in stone just yet, because Holmes has been more than solid in his own right over the past couple of months.

Bullpen

1. Raisel Iglesias
2. Robert Suarez
3. Dylan Lee
4. Didier Fuentes
5. Brent Suter
6. Victor Mederos
7. Ray Kerr
8. Dylan Dodd
9. AJ Smith-Shawver

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For now, I’m continuing to hold onto the hope that Robert Suarez will return for the playoffs. However, I’m admittedly becoming more concerned by the day.

I also have AJ Smith-Shawver sneaking onto the roster as a potential bullpen option because of his upside, but a name to watch over the final couple of weeks of the season is JR Ritchie. He’s going to start tomorrow in Chicago and will likely get another look before the season ends. If he pitches well, he could find his way onto the Braves’ playoff  roster.

Catchers

1. Sean Murphy
2. Drake Baldwin

Infielders

1. Ozzie Albies
2. Matt Olson
3. Mauricio Dubon
4. Austin Riley
5. Ha-Seong Kim

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Any questions about Ha-Seong Kim’s inclusion on the postseason roster have been put to bed for two reasons. Lane Thomas’ injury opens up another spot, and Kim has proven to be really clutch in big moments down the stretch. He’s become someone Walt Weiss can turn to off the bench with the game on the line. That could prove huge come October.

Designated Hitter

1. Dominic Smith

Outfielders

1. Ronald Acuña Jr.
2. Michael Harris
3. Mike Yastrzemski
4. Brewer Hicklen
5. DaShawn Keirsey Jr.

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This group without Lane Thomas has become tough to look at. Brewer Hicklen’s spot on the roster now feels 100% secure, and the final player I included is DaShawn Keirsey Jr. — strictly because he can offer the Braves a lot of speed off the bench, which is valuable during the postseason.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)