The Braves have brought Lane Thomas back into the fold for their National League Division Series against the Dodgers, adding another right-handed bat to an October roster built with 13 pitchers for the best-of-five matchup.
Atlanta announced its NLDS group Saturday ahead of Game 1 in Los Angeles, scheduled for 4 p.m. ET and 1 p.m. PT on FOX, FOX Deportes and FOX One. Thomas, right-handers JR Ritchie and AJ Smith-Shawver are in after each was absent from the club’s Wild Card Series roster against Philadelphia.
How Atlanta reshaped the roster
- Thomas completed his recovery from the left intercostal strain he sustained Sept. 7, making him available after he missed the Phillies series.
- His likely assignment is left field when the Dodgers start a left-hander, while also serving as a right-handed pinch-hit option on days he does not start.
- Ritchie and Smith-Shawver return as bullpen depth after being left off the Wild Card roster. Both can provide multiple innings, and Ritchie could be called upon to start if the series requires it.
- Dominic Smith, Luke Williams and DaShawn Keirsey, all active against Philadelphia, did not make the Division Series roster.
The decision to carry 13 arms reflects a series that can turn quickly, even with two possible off-days on the calendar. Atlanta has a mix of late-inning options, left-handed relief coverage and several pitchers capable of covering longer stretches if a starter exits early.
Braves NLDS roster
Pitchers
- LHP Dylan Dodd
- RHP Didier Fuentes
- RHP Grant Holmes
- RHP Raisel Iglesias
- LHP Ray Kerr
- LHP Dylan Lee
- RHP Tyler Mahle
- RHP Victor Mederos
- RHP JR Ritchie
- LHP Chris Sale
- RHP AJ Smith-Shawver
- RHP Robert Suarez
- LHP Brent Suter
Catchers
- Drake Baldwin
- Sean Murphy
Infielders
- Ozzie Albies
- Mauricio Dubón
- Ha-Seong Kim
- Matt Olson
- Austin Riley
- Rowdy Tellez
Outfielders
- Ronald Acuña Jr.
- Michael Harris II
- Brewer Hicklen
- Lane Thomas
- Mike Yastrzemski
Thomas is the human wrinkle in the move. A player sidelined by an injury earlier in the month now steps into a series against the Dodgers with a matchup role waiting for him. Ritchie and Smith-Shawver, meanwhile, give Atlanta insurance for the long innings that tend to arrive without warning in October.
