ATLANTA -- Veteran starter Anibal Sanchez is on track to start Game 5 of the National League Division Series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles if the Braves can get there, but the club stopped short of making the move official in the hours leading up to the start of Game 4.
The Braves, who trail the Dodgers, 2-1, in the NLDS, need to win Game 4 on Monday to extend the series and will use all available pitchers, including starters, if necessary.
"It's all hands on deck again," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "If we ran through all the starters [Monday] or something happened [or] we got locked up in extra innings, that first couple of guys that pitched [Sunday] could come back and then do the same thing pretty much in Game 5, if need be."
:: NLDS schedule and results ::
The "first couple of guys" from Sunday's 6-5 victory are Sean Newcomb and Kevin Gausman. Newcomb started Game 3 and threw 43 pitches in 2 2/3 innings. Gausman followed with 49 pitches in two innings of work.
If the Braves appear to be careful in their approach to a Game 5 starter on Wednesday, it's because they are. Monday's starter Mike Foltynewicz was pulled out of Game 1 after giving up four runs on three hits in two innings, and while Atlanta is hoping for the best, the club is preparing for the worst-case scenario.
With that in mind, it's worth noting that Max Fried made his third consecutive appearance Sunday and figures to match up again against the Dodgers in Game 4. Touki Toussaint, Chad Sobotka, A.J. Minter and Arodys Vizcaino each pitched an inning in Game 3 and should all be available, though Toussaint might be a stretch.
Brad Brach, who has not pitched since throwing 31 pitches in relief in the 6-0 loss in Game 1, is another option for Snitker. Julio Teheran, who has made five consecutive Opening Day starts for the Braves, has not appeared in the series, and it's uncertain if he will see any action the NLDS.
"The reason [Teheran] was here is for length, extra innings, things like that pretty much," Snitker said. "I mean, we may have to go to him [Monday] sooner than normal in these situations. But that's just kind of where he was. We had mulled over him making a start, and [we] liked the matchups better with the other guys."