Chris Sale not included in Braves’ wild-card series roster

Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale delivers to a Colorado Rockies batter in the first inning at Truist Park on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (Arvin Temkar / AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale delivers to a Colorado Rockies batter in the first inning at Truist Park on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (Arvin Temkar / AJC)

SAN DIEGO — The Braves on Tuesday announced their roster for the best-of-three wild card series against the Padres.

The biggest news: No Chris Sale.

It seemed unlikely that he would pitch in San Diego, but now it’s official. The Braves will be without Sale, their best starting pitcher, for this series because of his back spasms.

Bryce Elder and AJ Smith-Shawver, who spent the season as depth starters, made the roster. Spencer Schwellenbach and Grant Holmes, who both started games in Monday’s doubleheader, aren’t on the roster because they wouldn’t have been available to pitch.

At the time they announced their roster, the Braves still hadn’t revealed their starter for Tuesday’s Game 1. The team hasn’t revealed its rotation plan, but Max Fried is lined up to start Game 2 and Reynaldo López could start Game 3.

Another omission: Adam Duvall. This is not a surprise, but it will grab fans’ attention because Duvall has been part of different postseason runs for the Braves. This season, he hit .182 and, as a right-handed bat, is redundant because he doesn’t offer enough speed or defense to carry.

Here is the full roster:

Pitchers

LHP Aaron Bummer

RHP Jesse Chavez

RHP Bryce Elder

LHP Max Fried

RHP Daysbel Hernández

RHP Raisel Iglesias

RHP Luke Jackson

RHP Joe Jiménez

RHP Pierce Johnson

LHP Dylan Lee

RHP Reynaldo López

RHP Charlie Morton

RHP AJ Smith-Shawver

Catchers

Travis d’Arnaud

Sean Mutphy

Infielders

Ozzie Albies

Orlando Arcia

Whit Merrifield

Matt Olson

Gio Urshela

Outfielders

Michael Harris II

Jarred Kelenic

Ramón Laureano

Jorge Soler

Eli White

Designated Hitter

Marcell Ozuna