Bryce Elder (knee) resumes throwing off mound

Lane Thomas, who finished up on the IL with an intercostal strain, is a possibility to be activated. The pitchers, though, will have to wait for a potential NLCS. Elder is coming off knee surgery and hoped to be ready for the series. Pérez missed the end of the season with a back strain.

Thomas, trying to make his way back from an intercostal strain, resumed hitting last week and was seen running in the outfield today. Still, he won’t be activated prior to the NLDS.

Elder had knee surgery in early September and began throwing off the mound again on the 19th. He had previously stated that he planned to return for the postseason, but it remains to be seen if the Braves feel they need him for the Wild Card series or would wait until the Divisional round before thinking of activating him.

Elder is walking without a limp, and it sounds like there are plans in place to allow him to do some throwing as he continues to recover. He’s not expected to return to pitch in any regular season games.

We knew this was coming after Elder had surgery on Tuesday that will require a 3-4 week recovery. Elder hopes to return for the postseason, but it remains to be seen what his role would be if he does return, given his layoff and the Braves not needing five starters for a postseason series.

Weiss added that Elder will require a 3-4 week recovery timetable and could potentially return during the playoffs. The 27-year-old was expected to be bumped from Atlanta’s rotation with Reynaldo López returning from the injured list later this week. He’ll finish the regular season with a respectable 4.11 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 121/49 K/BB ratio across 149 innings over 26 starts. He’ll factor into Atlanta’s pitching plans at some point in the postseason, but he can be safely dropped in all fantasy formats.

It’s a favorable spot for López against a contact-oriented Tampa Bay lineup as he returns to Atlanta’s rotation for his first start since July 27. The 32-year-old has been on the shelf with knee inflammation for just over six weeks. He struck out six, while throwing 93 pitches, over five shutout innings in his final minor league rehab start for Triple-A Gwinnett last Thursday. He’ll slot into the Braves’ rotation with Bryce Elder moving to the bullpen temporarily due to ongoing knee issues.

Bryce Elder, who allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings on Monday and has a 6.45 ERA over his last four starts, will see his next start pushed back a few days. Given that it was slated to come against the Phillies, that’s probably welcome news for those still relying on Elder.

Elder surrendered eight hits, including home runs to Rafael Devers and Osleivis Basabe. He finished with three strikeouts and also issued three walks. It was the second time in his last four starts that he’s allowed five runs or more. It qualifies as a massive letdown considering the lackluster makeup of San Francisco’s lineup after he tossed six strong frames against the Dodgers last week. He won’t get the ball again until he faces the Phillies in a road matchup next Monday with Atlanta moving to a six-man rotation.

Elder struck out five and walked none. He allowed eight hits, but all of them were singles. Elder was half-skipped in the rotation again last week, making the start tonight on eight days’ rest. He also pitched on 11 days’ rest in his final start before the break and 10 days’ rest in his first start after the break. It suggests he’s not quite 100 percent and hasn’t been for some time. However, he’s been more effective than not lately. He’ll take a 3.95 ERA into his next start, whenever that might come; the Braves probably won’t pitch him Sunday and they have next Monday and Thursday off, so they could give Elder another long rest if they’d like.