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Braves Proving $51.75 Million Mistake in Playoffs

For anyone who believes that relief pitchers are a risky financial proposition: The Atlanta Braves are making your case for you. They’re hardly using the relievers that they’re paying the most money. In contrast, they’re relying on unproven players to…

By Billy Heyen · Heavy

Published: Sunday, 4 October 2026 at 10:52 PM

Key Things to Know

Billy Heyen argues the Braves are revealing a $51.75 million bullpen mistake by barely using their highest-paid relievers.
Five veteran Atlanta relievers combined to record just eight of 108 outs across four playoff games.
The Braves turned to starter Chris Sale for a relief appearance instead of their expensive bullpen arms.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Billy Heyen writes that the Atlanta Braves are exposing a financial mistake by largely avoiding their high-priced relief pitchers during the postseason. Despite investing $51.75 million across five relievers—Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suarez, Joe Jimenez, Aaron Bummer, and Tyler Kinley—the club has relied heavily on unproven arms and starters for crucial playoff outs.

Through four postseason games, that veteran group combined for only eight of Atlanta's 108 total outs. Heyen argues that the Braves' lack of trust in their expensive bullpen could prove costly in the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Read the full article on Heavy

Braves Proving $51.75 Million Mistake in Playoffs

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