Braves Rumors: Kyle Wright's harsh truth, bullpen help on the way, bracket update

Atlanta Braves Rumors: Postseason bracket is starting to take shape

Atlanta's path to the World Series is finally starting to take shape, as they clinched a first-round bye in the MLB Playoffs despite their defeat against the Phillies on Monday night. While Atlanta would have rather done so in victory, avoiding the NL Wild Card round should do them some good, especially as two of their frontline starters, Max Fried and Kyle Wright, continue to ramp up their pitch counts.

For now, Atlanta holds a three-plus game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers for the top seed in the National League, which would give them homefield throughout the NL postseason. Once they reach the World Series, homefield will be decided by whichever team had the better overall regular-season record, which the Braves could have a decisive edge in against any team.

Atlanta's dominant regular season hasn't come without struggle, and a tough September in the pitching department has made some fans and pundits wonder if that will be this team's undoing in the end.

Injuries to Wright and Fried earlier this season threatened to unravel the starting rotation, though a solid trio of Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder and Charlie Morton held things together, as well as a strong bullpen. This is a group which solves problems, rather than wallowing in them.