It’s all come down to a terrifying Game 3 for Atlanta, a winner-take-all showdown against a division rival, and they are heading into it without a true starting pitcher of their own. This is it, do-or-die time, and the pressure is absolutely cranking up for a team that has to figure out its rotation on the fly.
The Game 3 Pitching Puzzle is a Mess
Facing likely Zack Wheeler, Atlanta’s plan for Game 3 is rough, to put it mildly. They are expected to lean heavily on Grant Holmes for a major role, with Ray Kerr coming in as a matchup play against the lefties at the top of Philly’s lineup. After that, it’s straight to the back of the bullpen. How did they even get here? A total lack of big-time starter additions both last offseason and at the trade deadline, combined with a brutal run of injuries and prospects just not taking that next step. You’d think with the luxury of lining up their staff for this series, they would have *some* answer, but nope. If they win this, the starting pitching question is still going to be a huge problem. If they lose, well, that’s going to be a long, long offseason full of “what ifs.”
Mahle Was Money, But the Bullpen Blew It
We just saw Tyler Mahle come in hot, giving Atlanta more than anyone could’ve reasonably expected after the deadline. He tossed two months of great pitching for them, and then in Game 2? He delivered 7.0 innings of absolutely lights-out, one-run ball. He was fantastic. Manager Walt Weiss even talked about Mahle’s performance and the in-game management after the fact. Seriously, that dude might be a must-bring-back. But despite Mahle’s gem, Atlanta coughed up Game 2 because they just couldn’t hit any homers and their bullpen faltered. That loss sent them straight to this terrifying, all-or-nothing Game 3.
Elsewhere in the League
While Atlanta is on the ropes, the Cinderella White Sox punched their ticket to the ALDS, knocking out the Astros in what’s looking like a wide-open American League. The Yankees also wasted no time, blowing out their rival Red Sox. Over in the National League, the Padres are up on the Cubs right now, and that game’s result is going to dictate when Atlanta and Philly face off. A Padres win throws them into primetime, but if the Cubs pull it off, it’s back to their usual 2pm slot for this Wild Card round.
So, for Atlanta, it’s all on the line in Game 3. Can they cobble together enough pitching, or is this the end of the road?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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