LOS ANGELES — As Didier Fuentes made the sign of the cross and gave thanks, his managers gathered to decide his fate.
The 21-year-old Colombian rookie, with a youthful face and remarkable composure, was in complete control. Having just shut down the opposition in the eighth inning — his third perfect frame in a row against the two-time reigning champions — Fuentes had delivered nine straight outs since his entry at the start of the sixth. The ‘ formidable lineup, packed with MVPs, All-Stars, and postseason veterans, appeared completely defeated by the rookie right-hander in this tense NLDS Game 2.
As Fuentes walked off the mound in the quiet Stadium, with the Braves holding a narrow 3-1 advantage, only three outs remained for the Braves to even the series.
But the question was: who would be trusted to secure those final outs?
Manager Walt Weiss and his advisory group—a six-member team of coaches navigating a complex bullpen strategy—huddled to discuss their options. They could either keep the dominant Fuentes on the mound or bring in closer Raisel Iglesias, who was warmed up and ready in the bullpen. Fuentes had pitched three consecutive days in the Phillies series, so four innings would be demanding, but he appeared unbeatable.
It was a challenging decision with no wrong answers.
“After his third inning, I glanced at our pitching coach — to see how he felt,” Weiss said postgame. “If he felt good enough, I wanted to send him back out. I didn’t want to disrupt something working well. He was really throwing the ball well.”
Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and coach Tony Diaz approached Fuentes, who was calmly seated on the dugout bench. Diaz asked in Spanish if Fuentes felt capable of pitching the ninth inning. Without hesitation, Fuentes nodded affirmatively. Diaz searched Fuentes’ eyes for a truthful answer, with Hefner observing both carefully. Satisfied, they reported back to Weiss: Fuentes would pitch the ninth.
“That’s something you’d typically never try in the regular season,” Hefner told Yahoo Sports after Atlanta’s series-tying 3-2 win.
Fuentes returned and retired the first two batters he faced before giving up a late solo homer to Max Muncy, which energized Stadium. Weiss then came out and Iglesias warmed up in the bullpen, and the plan worked perfectly. Pinch hitter Josue De Paula popped out harmlessly in foul territory to end the game. Weiss and his coaching staff congratulated each other, while Fuentes, sporting a subtle smile under his faint facial hair, stepped onto the field for celebratory handshakes.
With ace Chris Sale sidelined and their bullpen strategy disrupted, the Braves had stolen a victory from the .
“It wasn’t planned, believe me,” Weiss admitted when asked about Fuentes going for 11 outs.
Before the game, Weiss faced questions about postponing Sale’s start to Game 3. The future Hall of Famer had been slated for Game 2 after starting the wild-card series opener Tuesday. However, an unexpected relief appearance Thursday against Philadelphia altered plans. Atlanta didn’t want to overwork its star pitcher. The Braves believed a fully rested Sale offered better odds for winning the series.
This choice meant another bullpen-heavy game for Atlanta in Game 2 on Sunday.
“Those are my favorite games,” Hefner said afterward. “They’re emotionally and intellectually draining, but it’s the most fun trying to fit the puzzle pieces together.”
Incidentally, the also found themselves in a bullpen game. Starter Blake Snell struggled mightily in his first playoff start, walking five batters and needing 90 pitches to surrender 11 outs. Though Snell avoided major damage — giving up only a first-inning infield single — it was a hugely disappointing performance for the two-time Cy Young winner.
“He just wasn’t sharp, obviously,” manager David Roberts said during the broadcast after removing Snell. “He was battling himself all game. His fastball had good velocity but lacked command, and his changeup and slider had no feel tonight.”
Snell’s early exit forced Roberts to activate his bullpen lineup. In total, the teams used 11 relievers to cover 13 and two-thirds innings— a chaotic display emblematic of modern playoff baseball, where traditional pitching roles dissolve in the pursuit of outs, stolen dreams, and creating legacies.
For example, Atlanta’s designated “bulk guy,” Grant Holmes, lasted only two-thirds of an inning. He gave up a game-tying solo homer to former Brave Freddie Freeman—Freeman’s first extra-base hit since early September—and allowed two more runners on base, ending both his outing and Atlanta’s planned pitching strategy. The Braves then relied on setup man Dylan Lee in the fourth and former All-Star closer Robert Suarez in the fifth. Securing all 27 outs seemed daunting, with only Fuentes and Iglesias available with confidence.
But Atlanta’s offense retook the lead in the fifth inning as the ’ bullpen began to falter. Michael Harris II crushed a two-out triple into left field, then scored on a wild pitch by Kris Bubic. Harris, the team’s offensive standout, added insurance later with a sharp RBI double in the seventh that scored Matt Olson. That cushion was critical, allowing Weiss and his team to keep trusting Fuentes.
Los Angeles barely escaped trouble in the top of the eighth when Roki Sasaki, after loading the bases with two walks (one intentional) and a hit-by-pitch, avoided disaster on a double play executed by former MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. The spotlight returned to Fuentes, the young swingman with the faint teenage mustache. The Colombian didn’t disappoint, retiring Will Smith, Freddie Freeman, and Teoscar Hernández in order during the eighth. Muncy made things tense with a home run in the ninth, but Iglesias settled down to secure the 3-2 win, tying the series.
Blocked from pitching in Game 2 against his wishes, Sale will make his return Tuesday opposite ’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto, last October’s postseason star. It promises to be a thrilling showdown with two probable top-five Cy Young candidates battling for the series lead.
For the coaching staffs, at least, the bullpen decisions should be simpler.
Fan Take: This game highlights the thrilling unpredictability and strategic depth of postseason baseball, where young arms like Fuentes seize the moment under immense pressure. Fans should watch closely, as this blend of hustle, heart, and managerial chess could redefine how teams approach pitching in the playoffs going forward.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
