How Braves Tyler Mahle is Approaching First Career Postseason Start

It's all aligned for Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Tyler Mahle. After a decade in the majors, that long-awaited postseason start will finally arrive.

He's been on teams that made the postseason before. He's even been named to a postseason roster. Yet, actually getting into a game has evaded him.

Timing and injuries kept him. Now, that'll change.

"Super excited," he said on Monday to the media. "Not really any other way to put it. Super excited to be here and have this opportunity."

However, he's not trying to make anything big. He knows he has a job to do.

"I think I'll be fine," he said when asked on Monday about any emotions he may have. "Because you get on the mound, there might be some nerves before the game, but I kind of have those always. Once you get out there and on the field, and they go away, it's just another game."

Maybe that's the key to success. When you put it into the perspective of making this any other game, this isn't even the first time this month he's pitched against the Philadelphia Phillies with postseason implications.

This upcoming start will be his third in September. If you include his time with the Giants before the trade deadline, this is his fifth start against the Phillies overall in 2026.

In four starts against the Phillies this season, Mahle has a 2.28 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP and 15 strikeouts across 23 2/3 innings pitched. If there's a team that the Braves would want to see Mahle start against above any other, this could be the team. It just happens to be one of their archrivals on top of that.

Mahle acknowledged that this experience, particularly the recent matchups, isn't lost on him. They've certainly provided proper conditioning.

"It was huge. I thought about that the last few days," he said. "Like those, I mean, were really big games to take the division. I mean, I've never pitched in a playoff game, but I can't imagine it being too much crazier than that."

But, again, he reiterated there is a mission, and it can be chalked up the same core idea that a pitcher would take into any start.

"I mean, it's a big game that needed to be won. You need to perform. So, and that's, I mean, playoff baseball, you know, you got to out and do your job. We'll see, but those definitely helped."

It's important to remember that. You can be successful against a team in the regular season, but that's in the past now. It's the postseason. Winning now would be worth trading the other good days for it.

So, while many may want to hear about how big of a deal this is, that can be a conversation for another time. Now isn't the time to psych yourself out.

There's no reason to doubt that this isn't a special moment for Mahle. But knowing what's at stake and knowing how to handle could mean making the most of it.

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