Who is Braves opener Ray Kerr? Anonymous lefty had to work his way back to the majors

Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss has named left-handed pitcher Ray Kerr as the opener for Thursday night's winner-take-all Game 3 against the Philadelphia Phillies. Kerr will face Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola before the Braves likely turn to Grant Holmes in relief. Kerr previously overcame significant personal adversity, including growing up in foster care and enduring a two-year recovery from Tommy John surgery, before returning to the majors in mid-August.

Since his return, Kerr has recorded a 1.47 ERA across 18 1/3 innings with only two walks allowed. He relies on an unconventional curveball and a four-seam/sinker mix. While his maximum outing this season has reached 3 1/3 innings and 35 pitches, he faces a Phillies lineup that has already encountered left-handed openers 12 times in 2026.