After the Atlanta Braves completed a phenomenal comeback in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies to even the series, Game 3 became that much more important. With a banged-up rotation and limited options, the Braves are turning to Bryce Elder to start Game 3 in Philadelphia, the team announced Wednesday morning.

Elder was one of the best pitchers in all of baseball during the first half of 2023, posting a 2.97 ERA before the All-Star break. His second half was not as kind as his ERA ballooned to 5.11 in 13 starts after the break. He allowed 13 runs in his final three starts, leaving Braves fans pondering if Elder would be in the postseason rotation.

With the injuries to Charlie Morton and Kyle Wright, the Braves don’t have much of a choice. Atlanta went with their two aces in the first two games of the series, starting Spencer Strider and Max Fried. There was no guarantee as to who'd start after that, but Elder is perhaps the most obvious choice given the other options at Atlanta's disposal.

Elder made a pair of starts against the Phillies this season, posting a 3.38 ERA across 10.2 innings. He tossed seven shutout frames against Philly in June, prompting Bryce Harper to deliver some praise toward the young right-hander.

“If [the Braves] get into the postseason, he's going to be really good for them, I think, just because he has no heartbeat. He's very slow out there. He knows what he's doing,” Harper said, via Mark Bowman.

Bryce Elder will get his first taste of the MLB playoffs in front of what's sure to be a raucous crowd at Citizens Bank Park. No pressure, kid.