The announcement got here in a seven-word put up on the Atlanta Braves‘ official social media accounts.
“LHP Ray Kerr will begin tonight’s sport,” wrote the Braves on X.
The quick uncertainty got here in much more than seven phrases. Kerr isn’t precisely a family title.
And this isn’t simply any video games. That is Sport 3 of the best-of-three NL Wild Card Sequence in opposition to the Philadelphia Phillies. If the Braves lose, their season is over.
The Braves gained Sport 1, then have been in command of Sport 2 till late house runs by Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm swung the sport the Phillies’ method.
Now, Atlanta is susceptible to exiting the postseason after simply three video games regardless of being convincing NL East Division champs this season.
Kerr is the man getting the ball with the duty of conserving the Braves’ season alive.
LHP Ray Kerr will begin tonight’s sport.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) October 1, 2026
Who’s Ray Kerr?
Kerr is a 32-year outdated lefty who normally pitches out of the bullpen however will get the beginning for the Braves on Thursday evening.
He has pitched 48 video games in his MLB profession throughout elements of 4 seasons with the Padres and Braves. By just about any measure, Kerr is a journeyman.
This season, he threw in 9 video games for the Braves, together with one begin as an opener. He had a 1.47 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 18.1 innings.
Ray Kerr’s Baseball Origin Story
Kerr’s origin story is unbelievable.
He performed highschool ball in Reno, Nevada, then went to play for 2 years at Mendocino Faculty in California. He left baseball after that and labored at a movie show and 7-Eleven again house.
Kerr was satisfied by a brand new coach at one other junior faculty, Lassen Faculty, to play there — and his time there earned him a spot within the Alaska Baseball League, a summer time league the place he received as much as 93 miles per hour on his fastball and received seen.
The Seattle Mariners signed Kerr as an undrafted free agent in 2017.
It took Kerr 5 years within the minors, in addition to a commerce from Seattle to San Diego, to finally get his debut.
And now a few decade after Kerr first received his unbelievable skilled baseball likelihood, he’s getting the most important begin of his life.
Why is Ray Kerr Beginning?
The obvious purpose right here appears to be that he’s been an efficient lefty pitcher this season, and the highest of the Phillies’ order notably contains Kyle Scwharber and Bryce Harper, two lefty sluggers.
Atlanta will likely be hoping Kerr can get them out the primary time by way of the order.
In Kerr’s MLB profession, lefties hit simply .196 in opposition to him with a .601 OPS (in comparison with an .856 OPS for righties).
If Kerr can pitch a scoreless body with no injury from Schwarber or Harper, he’ll have finished his job.
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