Fried limited in hot start as Braves eye October

ATLANTA -- Braves manager Brian Snitker is well aware of Ronald Acuña Jr.’s pursuit of a 40-40 season and the possibility his club could enjoy the franchise’s first 100-win season since 2003. But he also recognizes the benefit he could gain by resting some of his players leading up to the postseason.

Thus, an efficient Max Fried was limited to 65 pitches over 5 1/3 scoreless innings during an 8-1 win over the Giants on Saturday night at SunTrust Park. A day after clinching the National League East, Snitker also rested a handful of regulars and provided some potentially beneficial at-bats to Adam Duvall and Francisco Cervelli, who both homered in the win.

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“You sit in here and you script things and it just doesn’t work [once the game] starts, but that was kind of exactly how we wanted to go,” Snitker said. “Who we used tonight was who we talked about using prior to the game.”

The Braves need to win four of their final six games to secure what would be just the seventh 100-win season in Atlanta history (since 1966). But with the Dodgers closing in on home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs, the Braves’ focus is doing whatever necessary to prepare to face the Central Division winner during the Division Series.

So Snitker rested Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, Nick Markakis and his primary catchers -- Brian McCann and Tyler Flowers -- on Saturday. Freeman, Markakis and one of the catchers will return to the lineup on Sunday, when Josh Donaldson is expected to rest. Albies, who had started every game since the All-Star break, will likely not return to the lineup before Tuesday’s series opener in Kansas City.

“Make no mistake, I ride them hard and they all respond,” Snitker said. “But now that we have the opportunity, I’m going to get some guys some rest.”

Postseason rotation battle: As Fried held the Giants scoreless, he didn’t look like somebody who has already thrown more than 40 innings than he had in any previous professional season. But there had been some recent signs of fatigue from the lefty, who entered Saturday having allowed five runs in three of his previous five starts.

Now that Mike Foltynewicz has posted a 1.19 ERA over his past six starts, he has seemingly cemented a spot within a postseason rotation that will include Dallas Keuchel and Mike Soroka. The fourth and final spot could be given to Fried or Julio Teheran, whose alarming walk rate might not play well in the postseason.

Dating back to Aug. 1, the NL Central-leading Cardinals have produced a .778 OPS against left-handers and a .758 OPS against right-handers. Given there is not an obvious advantage to starting another left-hander (beyond Keuchel), the Braves may need to decide whether they want to keep Fried for a potential Game 4 start or possibly use him as a reliever multiple times within the first three games.

Snitker will also likely limit Soroka, a rookie, to approximately 75 pitches when he makes his next start.

“At the end of the day, we just want to be ready for the playoffs, whatever that entails,” Fried said. “Being able to stay on the same schedule and maybe having a little lighter workload would be nice. But I know we just want to be ready and help.”

Bench contributions: Long before Cervelli homered in the fifth off Dereck Rodriguez and Duvall homered in the seventh against Sam Coonrod, the Braves constructed a four-run second inning that was highlighted by Adeiny Hechavarría’s two-run double.

With Charlie Culberson lost for the season and Johan Camargo still doubtful for the NLDS, Hechavarria is the only backup middle infielder. But the slick-fielding veteran might find himself a lineup candidate if shortstop Dansby Swanson continues to struggle. Swanson has a .480 OPS in 85 plate appearances since returning from the injured list.

Snitker plans to have Swanson in the lineup on a daily basis over the remainder of the season. But if the recent skid continues, the Braves may have to look at giving the starting shortstop job to Hechavarria, who has a .883 OPS over 59 plate appearances since joining the Braves in August.

“Hech has done such a good job since he got here, whether pinch-hitting or filling in,” Snitker said. “It’s a good piece to have.”

O’Day’s candidacy: Darren O'Day missed more than a year while recovering from left hamstring surgery and a right forearm flexor strain that developed during Spring Training. But since being activated this month, he has retired eight of 11 batters, including the two he faced after taking over for Fried in the sixth.

One of the final postseason roster decisions might be whether to carry Cervelli as a third catcher or carry eight relievers. O’Day has not yet thrown on back-to-back days, but the veteran sidearmer still has established himself as an October candidate.