Atlanta Braves Roster
- NL East
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- Truist Park
Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies (pinkie) took ground balls with a smaller cast on Sept. 30 that allowed him more mobility and the chance to get back on the field and stay in shape with the hopes of making a return during the postseason. Albies fractured is right pinkie finger sliding into second base against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sept. 17 in just his second game since returning from a fractured left foot earlier in the season. He will not play in the final three-game series of the regular season this week against the Miami Marlins, but there's still a chance he could contribute in the playoffs, barring any setbacks. The 25-year-old has just 247 at-bats in 2022, hitting .247/.294/.409 with eight homers, 35 RBI, 36 runs and three stolen bases.
Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Kirby Yates (elbow) threw a bullpen session before the start of the three-game series against the New York Mets on Friday, Sept. 30, and he felt fine after the session. It's too early to know whether Yates might pitch again this year, but he continues to make progress to help him feel confident that his elbow won't be a lingering issue this offseason as he distances himself from his second Tommy John surgery. He felt discomfort after tossing a scoreless inning against the Mariners on Sept. 10 and was placed on the 15-day injured list after his elbow continued to bother him when he played catch on Sept. 16. The 35-year-old shouldn't be expected to contribute out of the Braves bullpen in the postseason.
Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider (oblique) is expected to resume throwing again in the final days of the regular season early this week, but he's unlikely to be available before the National League Division Series that begins on Oct. 11. He first felt left oblique soreness in his Sept. 18 start against the Philadelphia Phillies and was put on the injured list when he continued to feel discomfort before beginning a side session on Sept. 23. The NL Rookie of the Year candidate has gone 11-5 this year with a 2.67 ERA (1.83 FIP), a 0.99 WHIP and a 202:45 K:BB over 131 2/3 innings and 31 outings (20 starts) this year. The good news is that after sweeping the division-rival New York Mets this past weekend, the Braves control their own destiny now as far as winning the NL East and getting a first-round bye in the playoffs.
Atlanta Braves left-hander Max Fried (illness) said he was feeling better when he arrived at Truist Park on Sunday to receive treatment and play catch for about five minutes. Fried was limited to five innings in his start on Friday against the New York Mets due to a stomach bug. If the National League East hasn't been decided, Fried could start the regular season finale on Wednesday against the Miami Marlins. But if he isn't needed, he would be lined up to start Game 1 of the wild-card series or the NL Division series. Before leaving his start on Friday, the 28-year-old southpaw allowed a run on four hits while striking out three on 71 pitches.
Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Kenley Jansen slammed the door on the New York Mets for the third game in a row. The 35-year-old needed only seven pitches to retire all of the Mets hitters in the ninth inning during Sunday's game. His save counts as his 40th on the season in 47 attempts, which is fairly solid. This is a nice milestone for the veteran reliever who has played a big part in the Braves season. He'll look to add on a few more saves before the season is over.
