Braves: 3 bullpen options if Will Smith breaks down

Richard Rodriguez was already saving games for the Pittsburgh Pirates this year

And we have arrived at Richard Rodriguez, the lone relief pitcher of note the Braves traded for at the deadline. He came to Atlanta by way of the abysmal Pittsburgh Pirates, a team he closed 14 games for before being traded. Rodriguez has been used in a plethora of roles since joining the Atlanta bullpen, but one would think he is the guy Snitker should count on if Smith does fail him.

While Rodriguez has already given up five home runs since being traded over to Atlanta, his ERA is actually a tad lower than it was in Pittsburgh. His WHIP remains below 1.000 on the season and he has finished 34 games this season between the Pirates and the Braves. Again, he has to build up trust with Snitker to be given this opportunity, but it is not like Smith is running away with it.

The other important fact here is Rodriguez had spent the bulk of his big-league career in the same NL Central as Milwaukee, Atlanta’s likeliest candidate to meet in the No. 2 vs. No. 3 NLDS series. Familiarity with how to pitch against a strong Brewers lineup cannot be taken for granted. While the Braves bullpen is better after adding Rodriguez at the deadline, his role is still a very fluid one.

Unless Smith can turn the page into October, he will be a big reason why Atlanta will not advance.