Braves' Walt Weiss to Adjust Pitching Only as Playoffs Near
The short version
- Braves are 92-64 and hold the NL's No. 3 seed among division winners.
- Weiss said only pitching plans will change; position players will not ease off.
- Atlanta clinched its seventh division title in nine seasons Sunday by sweeping Houston.
- The club sits behind Milwaukee and the Dodgers; the No. 3 seed faces a Wild Card Series.
With a postseason berth secured, the first-year Atlanta manager plans to rest arms while keeping everyday hitters in their regular routine.
The Atlanta Braves began a three-game set with the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday holding a 92-64 record, good for third among National League division winners. On Sunday, a 4-2 victory over the Houston Astros sealed a sweep and brought the club its seventh division title in a nine-year span.
Speaking to 11Alive News' Reggie Chatman Jr., Weiss outlined what will shift over the season's closing stretch. Pitching is the lone area of change, he indicated, noting he does not favor easing up with position players.
That gives the Braves flexibility across their final six contests to lighten workloads, build in recovery, and arrange their rotation should a best-of-three Wild Card Series arrive. Everyday hitters, meanwhile, will stay on their usual schedule.
The approach matters in the standings, where Atlanta trails both the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The top two division winners skip the first round, while the third faces the Wild Card round.
The October berth marks a turnaround from a 76-86 campaign in 2025 that ended without a playoff trip, and it leaves Weiss a week to sort out positioning and rest before the MLB playoffs.