Inciarte to miss NLDS; Freeman, Acuña on track

NEW YORK -- Freddie Freeman's right elbow feels better than it has in more than a month. But Ender Inciarte now has to face the fact that he won’t be joining Freeman on the Braves’ National League Division Series roster.

As for Ronald Acuña Jr., the Braves seem even more confident he’ll be ready for the NLDS after he rests throughout this weekend’s series against the Mets. The 21-year-old All-Star has not played since tweaking a muscle located between his left hip and left groin during Tuesday’s game in Kansas City.

“It looks like [Acuña] is feeling good,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “He’s going to feel good. He’ll probably feel like he can play on Sunday. He’s not going to. But hopefully he does, because that means he’ll be really good on Thursday.”

Everything the Braves do during this final regular-season series against the Mets will be aimed toward preparing for Thursday, when they will host the NL Central winner in Game 1 of the NLDS.

The Braves were certainly happy to bring Freeman back to the lineup for Friday’s series opener against the Mets. Freeman spent four days in Atlanta this week resting his right elbow, which has been bothered by a bone spur for at least a month.

“I feel better because I can straighten my arm and not feel any pain,” Freeman said. “I haven’t been able to do that for about a month or two. I’m feeling the best I have in a while. So, I’m looking forward to this weekend.”

Though the Braves told Freeman they would like him to play two games and then rest Sunday, he said he wants to play each of the regular season’s final three games.

Inciarte was sent back to Atlanta to be further evaluated after he felt more discomfort while testing his right hamstring approximately four hours before the start of Friday’s game. The Gold Glove center fielder has been sidelined since Aug. 16. He was hoping to play during this weekend’s series and then possibly strengthen the bench during the NLDS.

“All of the work he has put in and the time we’ve taken, it’s just not going to happen,” Snitker said. “We’re just going to shut him down and give him some time off and then kind of ramp him up again. I know it killed him.”

While there is still a chance Inciarte might be ready for one of the later postseason rounds, the Braves must now prepare for the NLDS knowing he will not be available. There was never a guarantee the veteran center fielder was going to be on the NLDS roster. But there was some hope he might be healthy enough to at least serve as a late-inning defensive replacement.

If the Braves were to face the Cardinals in the NLDS, the only left-handed pitchers they’d likely see are two relievers (Andrew Miller and Tyler Webb). The Brewers would carry a more diversified pitching staff that would include multiple left-handed pitchers.

Acuña, Nick Markakis and Matt Joyce will serve as Atlanta’s starting outfield against right-handed pitchers, and Adam Duvall would likely replace Joyce when the opposition starts a lefty. With Inciarte out of the picture, Billy Hamilton will now be more than just a pinch-running option. Hamilton would now be the primary option when there’s a need for a late-inning defensive replacement.

There’s not necessarily a need to replace Inciarte with another outfielder. Austin Riley's presence would at least provide the backup third baseman the roster would lack. But Riley has struck out in nearly half of his at-bats since returning to the Majors this month. Rafael Ortega's roster candidacy died as he produced a .358 OPS in 38 plate appearances this month.

If the Braves don’t choose to carry Riley, they could choose to put 12 pitchers on their NLDS roster. This might open an opportunity to carry Darren O'Day and Luke Jackson, both of whom would be used as a middle reliever.