Atlanta Braves Postseason Roster Battles to Watch
Most roster spots for the Atlanta Braves going into the postseason are locked up, but there are a few interesting ones to keep an eye on.
Something that makes this Atlanta Braves team so unique is pretty much everyone has a defined role on this team and that hardly ever changes unless there is an injury -- and let's hope we don't have any of those in the last two weeks.
Brian Snitker is going to roll out the same lineup almost every day with the exception of inserting Kevin Pillar over Eddie Rosario if there is a lefty starter.
There aren't many pinch-hit opportunities for guys on the bench.
Nineteen of the 26 spots on the postseason roster are basically guaranteed with Max Fried, Spencer Strider, Charlie Morton, Bryce Elder, Raisel Iglesias, A.J. Minter, Joe Jimenez, Pierce Johnson, Kirby Yates, Travis d'Arnaud, Sean Murphy, Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, Orlando Arcia, Austin Riley, Eddie Rosario, Michael Harris II, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Marcell Ozuna.
All of those players feel like locks, while Brad Hand, Kyle Wright, Jesse Chavez, Nicky Lopez, and Kevin Pillar seem like safe bets as well.
That only leaves two spots left, and the leading candidates for those spots are Michael Tonkin and Forrest Wall.
Some of the roster construction might depend on who their opponent will be, but either way, it would make sense to carry a second lefty in the bullpen and Hand is the most likely candidate.
Wright still has a shot at working his way into the starting rotation, but if not, he seems like a great fit to be a long reliever in the postseason.
The Braves can't recall AJ Smith-Shawver until the final series of the year unless there is an injury, but he still stands a good chance of working his way into the postseason roster.
While that might seem crazy, the Braves called up Dylan Lee at the end of the 2021 season where he made just 2 appearances before later getting asked to start a World Series game. He would likely be an upgrade over Tonkin in that bulk innings spot in a blowout or in case of an emergency.
Darius Vines and Allan Winans could also make a case for that spot if given another opportunity down the stretch.
Nick Anderson is starting a rehab assignment on Tuesday but seems like a long shot.
Ben Heller had some moments at the league level this year and might get some consideration.
As for the bench spots, Pillar is a team leader who will work great as a defense replacement and a right-handed bat off the bench to face a tough lefty. Wall has seemed like the obvious choice all year to fill that pinch-runner role.
And while Vaughn Grissom perhaps gives you another good bat off the bench, Lopez provides the defensive versatility to cover every infield spot.
Say you pinch-run Matt Olson with Wall late in a game, Lopez could come in to play first.
Luke Williams is with the big league club now and can handle infield and outfield spots, but his inclusion on the roster doesn't seem likely.
While most of these spots already feel locked up, there will be some guys to keep an eye on down the stretch.
What role will Kyle Wright play? Does AJSS get another opportunity? Do they carry the bat of Grissom over the glove of Lopez? Who gets those final bullpen spots?
The results on the field aren't great at the moment, but these are the storylines to really pay attention to in the final week
WATCH: Jake discussed this on Tuesday's episode of Locked On Braves, available wherever you get your podcasts.
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