While there is still a lot of ball left to be played, it is fair to begin to look to the Atlanta Braves' 2026 postseason and consider how the rotation might line up. The team's current options are extremely limited due to injuriesand the lack of trade deadline additions, which left fans a bit surprised when it seemed the franchise is so clearly on the cusp of greatness.
Still, there is reason to believe in the ceiling of this roster and to begin to consider what a postseason run might look like. Leading us to look at how the rotation's top three postseason options should be lined up if the postseason were to start today.
1. Chris Sale
There are few players in Atlanta as beloved as Sale, and there is a great reason for this based on the ability to live up to expectations and be engaged in the moment. When the southpaw takes the mound, there isn't anyone who is going to be as harsh or face as high of expectations as the ones that Sale puts on his own shoulders. The Braves ace has an ERA of 2.19 and pitches 6.0 innings or more seemingly every time he takes the mound.
When kicking off a postseason series as the team is currently constructed, there is zero debate about who gets the ball first. It is going to be Sale taking the mound and facing whoever the opposing team's biggest threat might be. This is the one spot Braves fans continue to have consistent expectations of and have been given every reason to believe Sale gives the franchise a great chance to win any game one scenarios.
2. Bryce Elder
After the All-Star Break, it didn't appear that this was going to be a viable option. However, it is important to remember that here we are looking at what order the Braves should throw their arms if forced into the postseason at current health. Elder has done his part over the last two weeks, pitching 13.0 innings and giving up only two earned runs. In three of the last four starts, Elder has completed 6.0 innings or more and given the lineup plenty of time to settle into the game and keep it well within reach.
Looking at current performance and understanding the health situation the Braves are currently in, there isn't a reasonable argument against Elder taking the mound in game two. This could change if any of the trio of Spencer Schwellenbach, Hurston Waldrep, and Spencer Strider are able to return to health and contribute at a high level. However, as long as this remains a hypothetical, it should be Elder getting the ball in game two.
3. Grant Holmes
Consistently, the knock against Holmes throughout the first half of the season was the inability to get deep in games. It seemed that the second or third time through the lineup, the opposing offense had a read on Holmes and manager Walt Weiss was forced to make a change. Fast forward to the past two weeks, and the right-hander has thrown 12.0 scoreless frames while offering the Braves a glimpse at the best version of himself.
If this level of performance were to continue over the final month, there is no question it would be Holmes getting the ball in a potential game three. Martin Perez and Tyler Mahle are the other options, and while both have thrown the ball well in their last starts, it would be Holmes that Atlanta has the most trust in, understanding his potential ceiling.
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