The Braves announced their postseason roster for the best-of-three wild-card series against the Reds two hours before first pitch Wednesday.
Fifteen position players, including three catchers, and 13 pitchers comprise the 28-man roster. Outfielder Cristian Pache and catcher William Contreras, two top prospects who made brief debuts this season, made the roster.
The Braves have three starters – Max Fried, Ian Anderson and Kyle Wright – with a 10-man bullpen. That bullpen includes Chris Martin, who suffered a groin injury Sunday but is good to go. The rest of the group: Mark Melancon, Shane Greene, Darren O’Day, A.J. Minter, Will Smith, Jacob Webb, Josh Tomlin, Tyler Matzek and Grant Dayton.
“I don’t know if we’ll use them or not, but we have 10 guys in the bullpen and hopefully that’s enough,” Snitker said.
Contreras joins veterans Travis d’Arnaud and Tyler Flowers in the catching group. Switch-hitter Pablo Sandoval, who played in his first game with the Braves on Sunday, made the roster and joins Johan Camargo and Charlie Culberson as infield depth. The Braves released lefty Tommy Milone to open a spot for Culberson on the 40-man roster.
First baseman Freddie Freeman, second baseman Ozzie Albies, third baseman Austin Riley and shortstop Dansby Swanson make up the starting infield.
In the outfield, the Braves opted for Pache over Ender Inciarte, who was left off the roster. He joins Ronald Acuna, Marcell Ozuna, Adam Duvall and Nick Markakis. Ozuna will be the Braves' designated hitter throughout the series, manager Brian Snitker said.
The Braves announced their Game 1 lineup shortly after releasing the roster. Max Fried will start for the Braves against Trevor Bauer:
CF Ronald Acuna
1B Freddie Freeman
DH Marcell Ozuna
C Travis d’Arnaud
2B Ozzie Albies
LF Adam Duvall
SS Dansby Swanson
RF Nick Markakis
3B Austin Riley
The Braves' 2020 wild-card round roster, via the team:
Pitchers (13): RH Ian Anderson, LH Grant Dayton, LH Max Fried, RH Shane Greene, RH Chris Martin, LH Tyler Matzek, RH Mark Melancon, LH A.J. Minter, RH Darren O’Day, LH Will Smith, RH Josh Tomlin, RH Jacob Webb, RH Kyle Wright
Catchers (3): William Contreras, Travis d’Arnaud, Tyler Flowers
Infielders (7): Ozzie Albies, Johan Camargo, Charlie Culberson, Freddie Freeman, Austin Riley, Pablo Sandoval, Dansby Swanson
Outfielders (5): Ronald Acuna, Adam Duvall, Nick Markakis, Marcell Ozuna, Cristian Pache
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