Suarez tunes up for playoffs with 2nd appearance after injury

MIAMI -- The Braves can’t change the fact that injuries have depleted their rotation to a razor-thin level. But they can confidently hope their bullpen will be capable of carrying the load during the postseason.

“The way you get outs from the mound is very different during the postseason, unless you’ve got a staff full of aces,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said.

Well, Weiss is fortunate that he has at least one ace in Chris Sale. But on the days that Sale doesn’t start, the skipper will be relying heavily on a bullpen that once again includes Robert Suarez, who nearly threw a perfect inning in an 8-3 win over the Marlins on Saturday afternoon at loanDepot park.

"I feel 100 percent,” Suarez said in Spanish. “The only thing left to do is prepare and make a good plan for the playoffs. I feel good [mentally]. The team has been playing very well all season and that is important. I just want to help, do my part."

Suarez posted a 0.56 ERA in the 31 appearances he made before right elbow discomfort forced him to the injured list near the end of June. He missed three months, but there haven’t been any concerning signs of rust in the two appearances he’s made this week.

The right-handed reliever retired three straight batters after allowing a leadoff triple against the Reds on Wednesday. This latest outing against the Marlins had the chance to be a five-pitch perfect inning. But Otto Lopez extended the inning with a chopper in front of the plate that Suarez grabbed before one-hopping a throw to first baseman Matt Olson.

After a replay review confirmed the safe call, Heriberto Hernández tripled into the left-field corner. Suarez ended up allowing one run and two hits over an eight-pitch seventh inning.

Suarez’s four-seam fastball averaged 97.1 mph, down from his season average of 98.7 mph and down from Wednesday’s average of 98.6 mph. The veteran reliever also didn’t get a whiff with any of the six swings he induced on Saturday.

“I think when you get in that postseason atmosphere, things change for everybody,” Weiss said.

Suarez also didn’t seem concerned about Saturday’s velocity.

“I was just working on my pitches,” Suarez said. “I know the velo is there.”

Injuries have plagued Atlanta’s pitching staff throughout the season. Bryce Elder (arthroscopic right knee surgery), Reynaldo López (right shoulder inflammation) and Martín Pérez (lower back inflammation) were the latest starting pitchers to hit the injured list.

There’s a chance that Elder and Pérez could factor into Atlanta’s pitching plans at some point during the playoffs. But Sale and possibly Tyler Mahle stand as the Braves’ only starters who Weiss might send to the mound during the postseason with the plan for them to get through a lineup more than two times.

Sale will start Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series on Tuesday and Mahle will start Game 2 on Wednesday. If a Game 3 would be necessary on Thursday, Grant Holmes would be an option to start. But there’s a chance the Braves could instead use an opener and have Holmes work as the bulk guy, a pitcher who could pitch at least four innings.

• Postseason FAQ: What's next for the Braves?

When it was Holmes’ turn to start on Friday against the Marlins, the Braves used Ray Kerr as the opener. Holmes followed with four innings. Weiss used another left-handed opener on Saturday, when he had Brent Suter pitch the game’s first three innings.

Because Holmes has occasionally been shaky the third time through a lineup, the Braves could use an opener when he is scheduled to pitch during the playoffs. This would set up the possibility that Holmes could get through at least the fifth and possibly into the sixth without having faced the top of the order more than two times.

If the Braves can get into the sixth inning with a chance to win a game, they will have reason to feel good.

Didier Fuentes struggled on Friday night, allowing two runs on five hits in just one inning. But the rookie has a 2.05 ERA in 57 relief appearances this year.

Dylan Lee has gone through some rough spots in the second half. But with Saturday’s scoreless inning, he has a 3.09 ERA through 71 appearances.

Closer Raisel Iglesias has a 2.55 ERA in 59 appearances.

As for Suarez, he was one of the game’s best relievers for this season’s first 2 1/2 months. Now that he’s shaken off the rust, the Braves can only hope he proves to be the same during the postseason.

“Top to bottom, this is about as good as our bullpen has been all year,” Weiss said.