These Braves should be left off the MLB postseason roster

As is typically the case, the Atlanta Braves’ lineup and pitching staff are in two entirely different situations ahead of the Wild Card Series. Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, and the rest of the veteran sluggers are largely healthy entering the final week.

Those expecting to see a full-strength Braves rotation are out of luck, as Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach are both out for the season. The team remains hopeful that Reynaldo López (shoulder) and Robert Suarez (elbow) could return during the playoffs, but we’ll believe it when we see it.

What to make of the Braves postseason roster

Barring any additional health problems, the Braves’ postseason roster shouldn’t involve many difficult decisions. Lane Thomas’ recent left intercostal strain all but guaranteed that Ha-Seong Kim will make the cut, and further injuries are the only thing that would cause major changes to the pitching room.

Atlanta would be the No. 3 seed and host the No. 6 Padres if the NL Wild Card Series began tonight. Each team has 26 players on its playoff roster, but no more than 13 pitchers. Some clubs opt for 14 position players and 12 pitchers, though we personally prefer a 13-and-13 balance. Additionally, teams can adjust their rosters between series and, obviously, replace an injured player if needed.

As we did with the Yankees, we’re only including players who are healthy and active as of Sept. 17. In other words, that means Bryce Elder and Spencer Strider are among those who didn’t make the cut, because that’d be too easy. 

Jim Jarvis, SS

Jarvis struggled to begin his big-league career, hitting .207 with a measly .564 OPS through his first 124 plate appearances. If you’re looking for a positive, his 18.5 percent strikeout rate is well below the 22.1 percent league average. Who says that we can’t look on the bright side?

The 25-year-old Jarvis has almost exclusively played shortstop since joining the Braves’ organization last summer, so don’t plan on seeing him as a utilityman this October. We’re curious to see whether he’ll begin taking reps at other positions next spring, though. 

JR Ritchie, P

Major League Baseball ranked Ritchie as the sport’s No. 90 prospect (and No. 2 in the Braves’ organization) entering the season, and he’s spent the year shuffling between the majors and Triple-A Gwinnett. The results haven’t been especially impressive, as the 2022 first-round pick owns a 5.03 ERA and 13.7 percent walk rate after allowing six runs in Wednesday’s 8-4 loss to the Cubs.

Ritchie is still only 23, and we won’t be surprised to see him compete for a rotation spot next spring. But for now, he’ll likely be an emergency replacement at best. 

Kyle Farmer, 3B/DH

Farmer is 4-for-16 with three RBIs over 13 games in Atlanta, and he’s an established veteran who offers infield versatility. But barring an injury to Ozzie Albies or Austin Riley, we’re skeptical that the Braves would bother carrying the 36-year-old infielder on the playoff roster.

Personally, we’d much rather have Farmer than Kim, who is hitting just .123 with a .350 OPS through 128 plate appearances. Those are not typos, and if not for his $20 million salary, we’re not sure whether he’d still even be in the organization. But by his standards, Kim has played at an MVP level of late, recording four RBIs and a .629 OPS through 11 September games.