After the Atlanta Braves had officially clinched the National League East title, thoughts immediately turned to the postseason, including when and if starting pitcher Spencer Strider and second baseman Ozzie Albies would be able to return from their injuries.
Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos provided injury updates on Spencer Strider and Ozzie Albies
Anthopoulos joined Bally Sports South after the Atlanta Braves defeated the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night to secure the division title and the second seed in the NL postseason bracket. Part of the interview with Bally Sports South involved Anthopoulos updating the television audience on how Strider is recovering from an oblique injury and Albies is progressing from a broken finger.
With Strider, Anthopoulos doubled down on reports that Strider had begun throwing and would next progress to throwing from 90 feet, then will move to throwing from a mound to see how the oblique handles each of those steps. With the Braves bypassing the Wild Card round, that gives Strider some extra time to work toward a return, with a goal of returning for the National League Division Series.
“Obviously we’re not going to put him at risk at all,” Anthopoulos said. “But he feels like we have time if we win this division. He thought there’s a very strong scenario he could be ready for the CS (Championship Series, but Anthopoulos later corrected this to DS) at some point.”
The timeline for Albies, meanwhile, is a bit murkier. Anthopoulos said that, “once we get to the end of the week, we’ll know a little bit more.” He did go on to say that Albies was “a little further behind” Strider’s return since the second baseman has yet to start hitting.
Anthopoulos concluded by saying Albies would be a “long shot” for the Division Series while Strider has “certainly got a shot.”
Atlanta is scheduled to open the National League Division Series at home on Tuesday, October 11, and will take on the winner of the Wild Card matchup between the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies.