As the Atlanta Braves boarded the plane for Philadelphia on Tuesday, they remained mum on their starting pitcher for Game 3 of the NL Division Series against the Phillies.
Unless the team goes with an opener out of the bullpen on Wednesday — which manager Brian Snitker said is an option — it appears either 12-game winner Bryce Elder or 20-year-old rookie AJ Smith-Shawver will get the nod against Aaron Nola.
Elder, a first-time All-Star and mainstay of the injury-plagued rotation nearly the entire season, would seem the most logical choice.
But he appeared to tire down the stretch after throwing a career-high 174 2/3 innings, opening the door for Smith-Shawver — who has just six MLB appearances with five starts — to take the mound with the best-of-five series tied at one game apiece.