Atlanta Braves Announce Starters for Games 1 & 2 Against Padres

The Atlanta Braves are turning to a top prospect to get the Braves the win in Game 1 over the San Diego Padres

The Atlanta Braves will turn to a prospect and one of their aces for the first games of the playoffs. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves have announced their starting pitchers for the first two games of the Wild Card series against the San Diego Padres.

Right-handed prospect A.J. Smith-Shawver will get the ball for game one. Lefty Max Fried will get at least one more start in a Braves uniform as he gets the ball for game two.

Smith-Shawver is the Braves No. 2 prospect. Due to Chris Sale's injury, the Braves are thrusting him into the biggest game of his life.

He’s pitched in the minors outside of one start with the big league club on May 23. He pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings and struck out four. He had a 3.75 ERA in three September starts with Triple-A Gwinnett.

Fried will be on the bump for either a clinching game or an elimination game. It depends on the outcome of game one. In 29 starts this season, Fried has a 3.25 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP and 166 strikeouts in 174 1/3 innings pitched.

In 19 career postseason appearances (11 starts), Fried has a 4.57 ERA, a 1.41 WHIP and 64 strikeouts in 65 innings pitched. He has pitched in one Wild Card series game back in 2020. He pitched seven scoreless innings against the Cincinnati Reds en route to a win in game one.

No starter has been named for game three. It only happens if necessary - this is a best-of-three series. The Braves may choose to play it by ear with the potential winner-take-all game.

Options for that game, based on rest time, include Reynaldo Lopez and Bryce Elder. Lopez pitched one inning in the second game of the doubleheader against the Mets. However, that wouldn't be enough for him not to be rested enough to pitch. His last start was on Saturday.

Smith-Shawver will take the mound against the San Diego Padres to start the Wild Card series on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 8:38 p.m. EDT.