Mahle took the loss in Game 4 of the NLDS against the Dodgers on Wednesday, giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits with four strikeouts and a walk over 6.1 innings.
Los Angeles scored its first run during the second inning on a dropped pop fly, and Mahle otherwise shut down a high-powered offense until it scratched across another run in the seventh. The right-hander allowed just two earned runs across 13.1 frames in his two playoff appearances, continuing a strong second half that saw him post a 1.99 ERA in nine starts after being acquired by Atlanta at the trade deadline. That surge will benefit Mahle immensely when he hits free agency during the offseason.
Braves' Ronald Acuna: Back in right field after clean MRI
Rotowire
Acuna underwent an MRI on his right knee after Tuesday's NLDS Game 3 loss to the Dodgers, which came back negative, Jesus Cano of The Athletic reports.
Acuna experienced lingering soreness in the knee after tweaking it on a stolen base in Sunday's Game 2 win for Atlanta. He was deployed at designated hitter in Game 3, but Acuna is back in right field for Game 4 after imaging returned clean. Drake Baldwin will slot in at DH on Wednesday, while Sean Murphy will do the catching.
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Braves' Ha-Seong Kim: Taking seat for Game 4
Rotowire
Kim is not in the lineup Wednesday for Game 4 of the NLDS versus the Dodgers.
Kim started at shortstop in Games 1 and 3, but he will depart the lineup in Game 4 for the second time in the series. The 30-year-old infielder is 0-for-5 with a 2:3 BB:K so far this postseason, and he made an error in Atlanta's Game 3 loss. Mauricio Dubon will occupy shortstop as Atlanta tries to even the series.
Sale was charged with the loss in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Dodgers on Tuesday, striking out seven and allowing three runs on seven hits and no walks.
The veteran left-hander started off with three scoreless frames but ran into trouble in the fourth, when Enrique Hernandez and Freddie Freeman each clubbed home runs to account for all three of Los Angeles' runs on the day. Through three playoff appearances this year, Sale has a 4.26 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 19:1 K:BB across 12.2 innings. If Atlanta can win Game 4 on Wednesday, Sale will presumably be available out of the bullpen for Game 5 on Friday given how he was utilized in the wild-card round.
Murphy was scratched from the lineup for Tuesday's NLDS Game 3 against the Dodgers, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Murphy had been slated to start at designated hitter, but Atlanta has opted to shift Ronald Acuna to DH as he deals with some knee soreness. Lane Thomas will enter the lineup in Murphy's place, playing right field.
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Braves' Ronald Acuna: Playing with knee soreness
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Acuna is starting at designated hitter rather than right field in Tuesday's ALDS Game 3 versus the Dodgers due to a sore right knee, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Acuna remains sore after banging up his knee on a slide Sunday in Game 3, so Atlanta will ease the stress on him a bit by inserting him into the DH slot. Lane Thomas will patrol right field for Atlanta. Acuna is 2-for-9 with two runs scored and a stolen base in the first two games of the series.
Braves' Tyler Mahle: Puts abdominal issue behind him
Rotowire
Mahle revealed Tuesday that the abdominal pull he suffered prior to his Game 2 against the Phillies in the NL Wild Card Series is no longer an issue, Grant McAuley of the Marietta Daily Journal reports.
Mahle felt a tug in his abdominal area while warming up in the bullpen before the game. However, the hurler said he didn't feel soreness during the outing when he tossed seven innings of one-run ball, nor did he feel anything during a recent bullpen session. Mahle is scheduled to start Game 4 of the NLDS versus the Dodgers on Wednesday.
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Braves' Mike Yastrzemski: Exiting starting nine
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Yastrzemski is absent from the lineup Tuesday for Game 3 of the NLDS against the Dodgers.
The left-handed-hitting Yastrzemski didn't start the first two games of the series versus lefty hurlers, and he will remain out of the lineup for Game 3 even though righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto is toeing the rubber. Mauricio Dubon will play left field, Ha-Seong Kim will handle shortstop and Sean Murphy is serving as Atlanta's designated hitter.
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