The Atlanta Braves are in the postseason for the first time since 2013. They enter as division winners of the National League East. The Braves don't know their playoff opponent yet, but will begin their run to the World Series on the road, starting Thursday. Here are five things to note:
How they got here?
Atlanta finished the 2018 regular season with a 90-72 record, their best since 2013. Outfielder Nick Markakis started all 162 games.
The Braves are the first National League team to reach 90 wins in a season following three or more consecutive 90-loss seasons since the 1991 Braves. They went 67-95 in 2015; 68-93 in 2016; and 72-90 last season.
“It was a really special year,” manager Brian Snitker said. “I’m proud of all these guys and proud of what we accomplished. I was telling those guys a little bit ago, if we’d finished .500 this year we would’ve been like ‘Wow. We took a huge step forward.’ Now we’re 18 games over .500 after being 18 games under last year. That says a lot for these guys, the organization, the whole shooting match. It was a good, solid, productive year.”
Broken streak
The Braves lost their final game of the season, 3-1, to the Phillies in Philadelphia. The loss broke a six-year Atlanta streak.
The Braves had won the final game of the regular season every year since 2012.
Who will the Braves play?
Atlanta awaits the winner of a tiebreaker game Monday afternoon between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies. The loser of that game will play in the wild-card round. The winner hosts the Braves, starting Thursday, in a best-of-five series.
(The Braves went 2-5 against both N.L. West teams in the regular season.)
Tentative schedule
Game 1 - Thursday (FS1 or MLBN): Braves at Dodgers/Rockies
Game 2 - Friday (FS1 or MLBN): Braves at Dodgers/Rockies
Game 3 - Sunday (FS1 or MLBN): Dodgers/Rockies at Braves
Game 4 - Oct. 8: Dodgers/Rockies at Braves*
Game 5 - Oct. 10: Braves at Dodgers/Rockies*
* - If necessary
Looking back
The Braves last were in the playoffs in 2013, where they lost to the Dodgers in four games in the Division Series.
Can I still get tickets?
The Braves put single-game National League Division Series tickets on sale to the general public Sept. 19.
SunTrust Park has a seating capacity of 41,149. The Braves infamously had less-than-capacity crowds during their last playoff games at their former home, Turner Field, which seated about 8,500 more fans.
» If you go: Fans' guide to SunTurst Park
