This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
HOUSTON -- The Braves have already won the National League East and it appears they will enter the postseason as the NL’s No. 3 seed. But they will still be making some postseason preparations during the regular season’s final week.
Here’s a look at what will be on the Braves’ radar this week:
Postseason rotation plans
Chris Sale will start Wednesday’s game against the Reds with six extra days of rest. The 37-year-old hurler would then start Game 1 of the Wild Card Series with an extra day of rest. Tyler Mahle would start Game 2 with an extra day of rest after he starts Thursday’s series finale against Cincinnati.
The primary question is whether Grant Holmes or Martín Pérez would get the start if a Game 3 is necessary. Holmes limited the Astros to two runs over six innings on Saturday. But eight of the 20 balls put in play against him were hit 100 mph or harder. Twelve balls were hit 95 mph or harder.
Pérez allowed one run over 4 1/3 innings against the Astros on Sunday. If he were to come back to start Friday’s series opener in Miami, he would be available to start Game 3 of the Wild Card Series with an extra day of rest. The veteran left-hander has said he likes to pitch on regular rest. So, if the team chooses, it could instead give him his final regular season start on Saturday in Miami.
Robert Suarez’s availability?
Suarez allowed one hit over a scoreless inning in a Minor League rehab game for Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday. This was his first time pitching in a game since his right elbow began bothering him after a June 19 appearance.
Braves manager Walt Weiss has said he would like for Suarez to make a couple appearances in big league games before the postseason begins. But he hasn’t been willing to commit to that plan, which leaves reason to question whether Suarez will be ready for the NL Wild Card Series, which begins Sept. 29.
There has been a thought throughout the season that the Braves’ rotation concerns could be minimized by their rock solid bullpen shortening games. Putting a healthy and effective Suarez back in the mix with Didier Fuentes, Raisel Iglesias and Dylan Lee would seemingly be beneficial.
But for now we don’t know what to expect from Suarez, and Lee has been shaky during the second half.
Bryce Elder’s status
Given that Elder is just three weeks removed from a procedure that removed bone fragments surrounding his right knee, it seems unlikely he would be part of the Wild Card Series plans.
But Elder was cleared to throw with limited effort off the mound on Saturday. And he says he is at least on schedule -- and maybe slightly ahead -- of the three-to-four week timetable that was provided after he had surgery on Sept. 8.
The NL Wild Card Series begins on Sept. 29 and the Game 1 of the NL Division Series would be four days later. So, neither Sale nor Mahle would be available to start the NLDS opener.
Having Elder as an option to pitch in the NLDS could prove to be key, especially if Pérez and Holmes were to both be needed during the Wild Card Series.
Individual accomplishments
Matt Olson’s two-run homer in Friday’s win over the Astros put him in an exclusive group. He now stands with Hank Aaron (8), Eddie Mathews (4), Ronald Acuña Jr. and Andruw Jones as the only players to tally multiple 40-homer seasons for the Braves.
Olson seemed destined to join Aaron as the only players to tally 80+ extra-base hits in multiple seasons. But he entered Sunday with just nine over his past 35 games. His 73 extra-base hits rank as MLB’s fourth-highest total. But reaching 80 again seems optimistic.
Acuña’s game-winning grand slam on Saturday secured his third career 20-20 season. The only other Braves with at least three such seasons are Aaron (6), Jones (3) and Ron Gant (3).