The Atlanta Braves announced Thursday that left-handed reliever Ray Kerr will serve as the opener for the winner-take-all Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. First pitch at Truist Park is set for 8:15 p.m. ET, with the winner advancing to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Division Series beginning Saturday.
The decision caps an unlikely run for Kerr, who had not previously been viewed as a postseason difference-maker before this week. The series was forced to a deciding game after Philadelphia rallied to beat Atlanta in extra innings on Wednesday, evening the best-of-three set at one game apiece following the Braves' Game 1 win.
Who Is Ray Kerr?
Kerr is a 32-year-old left-hander who usually pitches out of the bullpen but will get the start for the Braves in the biggest game of the season. He has pitched 48 games in his MLB career across parts of four seasons with the Padres and Braves, and by pretty much any measure, Kerr is a journeyman. He made his major league debut with San Diego in 2022 before the Padres traded him to Atlanta in December 2023 along with Matt Carpenter.
This season he appeared in nine games for Atlanta, posting a 1.47 ERA over 18 1/3 innings going back to his Aug. 17 season debut. His effectiveness against left-handed hitters made him the logical choice to face the top of Philadelphia's order. Left-handed hitters have gone 4-for-23 (.174) against him this season with just one extra-base hit, a double.
A Comeback Two Years in the Making
Kerr's path back to a major league mound has been anything but ordinary. His last major league appearance came in June 2024, shortly after which he underwent reconstructive surgery on his elbow, beginning a recovery that would cost him the remainder of that season and all of 2025. The Braves returned Kerr to their major league roster on August 16, 2026, following a series of appearances in the minor leagues as he continued building his arm back to major league form.
As Yahoo Sports noted of his journey, it is an amazing story for Kerr as he went from missing significant time to returning to the bullpen a couple of months ago, making the Wild Card Series roster and now getting the call to make a start, with perseverance defining his path.
Kerr's History Against the Phillies
Atlanta's coaching staff has reason for confidence based on recent head-to-head results. Despite not getting much work this season due to his injury recovery, Kerr tossed only 18.1 innings but allowed just three runs for a 1.47 ERA, with two of those outings coming against the Phillies, in which he threw 6.1 scoreless innings while allowing just three hits with five strikeouts.
Manager Brian Snitker's staff is counting on Kerr to get through Philadelphia's dangerous top of the order before handing the ball to right-hander Grant Holmes, who is expected to work the bulk of the innings. Grant Holmes will attempt to handle the bulk of the innings, but the Braves are going with southpaw Ray Kerr as the opener, tasked with handling Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber in the first inning.
What's at Stake in Game 3
The winner-take-all nature of Thursday's game adds extra weight to every decision. In a series shaping up to be another classic between the bitter NL East rivals, it now all comes down to Game 3, with a Phillies win setting up an NLDS rematch from last year against the Dodgers, while the Braves hope to punch their ticket to the NLDS for the first time since 2023.
On the mound for Philadelphia, veteran right-hander Aaron Nola is expected to start, while left-hander Jesús Luzardo, who started Game 1, and right-hander Andrew Painter, who pitched three innings in relief in Game 2, both said they would be available as well. Nola struggled against Atlanta during the regular season, but the Phillies' lineup — paced by Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber — has shown it can produce in bunches, as evidenced by the come-from-behind Game 2 win.
For Atlanta, the pressure is squarely on an unconventional pitching plan. The Braves won the NL East this season but have not advanced to the NLDS since 2023, and a loss Thursday would end that run far earlier than the roster's talent might suggest. Whatever happens, Kerr's night atop the Braves' pitching staff already stands as one of the more unexpected storylines of this postseason.