Inbox: Do Keuchel, Donaldson figure into future?

Does a successful postseason run make it a priority to bring Dallas Keuchel and Josh Donaldson back for 2020? -- @gaaaronkirby

In no way, shape or form should we ever compare Keuchel and Donaldson to Nathan Eovaldi or Steve Pearce. But I’ve mentioned Eovaldi and Pearce to provide yet another example of the danger of allowing October exhilaration to influence offseason decisions.

Keuchel and Donaldson are established veterans whose resumes should be considered complete once the regular season comes to an end. If they extend their success into the postseason, you could argue this would increase the possibility of the Braves gaining additional revenue, which then could be used to re-sign either of these veterans.

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When it comes to Donaldson, we know he’ll receive a qualifying offer and we know there are many within the organization who would love to see him playing third base again next year. What we don’t know is whether demand will push the years or dollars past Atlanta’s comfort zone.

Austin Riley’s presence certainly isn’t going to stand in the way of attempting to re-sign Donaldson, who has shown he is physically capable of at least a couple more years of elite production with his bat and glove.

Even before Keuchel posted a 0.97 ERA over his past six starts, we saw the significant value he brought to the clubhouse. But his potential return extends beyond contractual demands. You can project Mike Soroka and Max Fried to be part of next year’s rotation. Julio Teheran has created reason to seriously think about exercising his $12 million option, and if Mike Foltynewicz extends his recent success, it might be wise to pay him the $7-8 million he could get through arbitration.

With that being said, there’s no need to rush Kyle Wright, Bryse Wilson or Ian Anderson, who provide the kind of depth that could help complete a significant trade this winter. So, yes, there’s still a chance Keuchel could be a fit in Atlanta. But like with Donaldson, it wouldn’t be wise to be significantly influenced by what he does in October.

Who is the most likely guy to take Charlie Culberson’s playoff roster spot? -- @Wildcats_Braves

In my latest postseason roster projection, I included Adeiny Hechavarría as the only backup middle infielder, simply because he is the only one left and I don’t expect any promotions. I could have filled that spot by adding a third catcher (Francisco Cervelli), but the need for a left-handed bat off the bench led me to uncomfortably give that roster spot to Rafael Ortega.

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The Braves are hoping Ender Inciarte might be activated before next week’s two-game series in Kansas City. That would give him a chance to play in five games. Even if his hamstring wouldn’t be ready to handle center field on a daily basis, he’d be a better bench option than Ortega.

The best-case scenario would be Johan Camargo healing slightly quicker than expected from the hairline fracture in his right shin. He likely won’t be ready before the end of the regular season. But given their current situation, the Braves might roll the dice if they feel he could provide value to their thinned bench in the NL Division Series.

Will Nick Markakis and Adam Duvall platoon in the playoffs? -- @BrennenRichard2

Markakis will fill the lineup’s fifth spot on a daily basis over the remainder of the year. Yes, he has a .608 OPS in 98 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers this year. But let’s chalk that up to a bad first two months. He has a .758 OPS against southpaws dating back to June 1. This is nearly identical to the .765 OPS he had against them last year.

Unless Inciarte is healthy enough to be in the lineup, the Braves’ outfield mix against right-handed pitchers will be Markakis, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Joyce. Duvall would replace Joyce against left-handers. Riley is 3-for-15 with nine strikeouts and two walks since returning on Sept. 6. His postseason roster candidacy is strengthened by the possibility that Camargo might not be available to play either of the corner infield spots.

Are the Braves going to rest Max Fried and Mike Soroka? -- @bamaboi0525

You may have seen manager Brian Snitker say on Sunday that he doesn’t believe Fried’s recent inconsistencies are a product of fatigue. But the fact is Fried has already exceeded his previous professional high by 30-plus innings, and there’s a chance he could be asked to throw 15-plus innings in October.

We saw how well Fried pitched after a blister and the All-Star break limited him to 15 1/3 innings in July. The Braves have another day off next week, giving them the option to use either Wright or Wilson as a spot starter. So yes, it would seemingly be wise to create at least a couple extra days of rest for both Fried and Soroka before the postseason.