Braves’ Kyle Wright, Jesse Chavez left off NLDS roster: Who made the cut instead?

The Atlanta Braves left starter Kyle Wright and veteran reliever Jesse Chavez off the team’s National League Division Series roster. Here’s what you need to know:

• Both Chavez and Wright returned in mid-September from long stints on the injured list — Chavez missed three months and Wright more than four months.
• Atlanta selected rookie pitchers AJ Smith-Shawver and Daysbel Hernández for the roster.
• The Braves will face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS, with Game 1 starting at 6:07 p.m. ET in Atlanta on Saturday. Braves ace Spencer Strider and the Phillies’ Ranger Suárez will pitch Game 1.

Your Atlanta Braves 2023 NLDS Roster!#AsOneATL pic.twitter.com/OCzRB3t9dA

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) October 7, 2023

Risks with Chavez and Wright

Chavez missed three months with a hairline fracture of his shin. He isn’t built up to pitch back-to-back games yet, and being able to pitch frequently is one of his main strengths and why the 40-year-old has been able to last as long as he has. Wright, 28, has had recurring shoulder inflammation, and the Braves don’t want to risk that worsening by using him twice within a series without enough rest.

Michael Tonkin will be Atlanta’s long reliever and can pitch in multiple games within a series. — David O’Brien, Atlanta Braves senior writer

Examining Braves’ roster strategy

The Braves decided that the healthier, hard-throwing rookie pitchers Smith-Shawver and Hernández made more sense for this round, with both Chavez and Wright having returned in mid-September and neither built up enough to pitch in multiple games within a series. Wright had been used in two relief appearances in late September.

It was widely believed that Wright would make it as an option to start Game 3 or be ready to pitch multiple relief innings in that game. But the Braves are comfortable enough going with Bryce Elder, an All-Star who struggled in the second half and especially late in the season, or possibly Smith-Shawver to start or be ready to piggyback in that game.

Hernández has only pitched 3 2/3 MLB innings in four relief appearances and finished the season on the IL for forearm inflammation, but the Cuban right-hander has an upper-90s fastball and hard slider. He showed he was healthy while impressing team officials with a pair of appearances in the team’s intrasquad scrimmage games last week during the layoff while the Braves, who had a first-round bye, waited for the Wild Card Series to be played and their NLDS opponent to be determined. Another factor that played into the decision: The Phillies have not seen either Hernández or Smith-Shawver, who had a 4.26 ERA in six MLB games (five starts) this season. — O’Brien

Required reading

(Photo: Bill Streicher / USA Today)