Bryce Elder’s Ohtani-subduing performance a template for Braves postseason

“I thought my stuff was pretty good (Tuesday) and just kind of treated everybody the same, tried to make pitches,” Elder said.

Elder went six innings and held the Dodgers to three runs, completing his night’s work with the game tied at 3 and positioning the Braves to take the lead in the bottom of the eighth on Ozzie Albies’ run-scoring single.

In making his first appearance since Aug. 16 after experiencing discomfort in his right knee, Elder turned in his sixth effective start in his past seven to help the Braves claim the opener of a pivotal series with the NL West-leading Dodgers.

“Helluva job by Bryce, getting through six innings, and against that lineup,” manager Walt Weiss said.

The strikeout-shy Elder retired Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts in typical fashion. In their nine hitless at-bats, they put the ball in play eight times, grounding out four times and lining or flying out the other four. Ohtani was one of Elder’s five strikeouts (against no walks), notched when catcher Sean Murphy’s successful automated ball-strike challenge on a 3-2 fastball overturned what was originally judged ball four. It ended the top of the second, stranding two.

Elder began the at-bat with a middle-middle 93 mph fastball, which was a little bit like dangling a pork chop in front of a crocodile. Apparently not anticipating a fastball in the heart of the strike zone, the four-time MVP let the pitch by for strike one.

“I just figured, if something’s going to happen, let’s make it happen quick,” Elder said. “Either I’m going to get him out or he’s going to hit it really hard.”

Elder had thrown a number of first-pitch balls to that point and didn’t want to fall behind Ohtani in such a precarious situation.

“So I thought, ‘Well, I’ll take my chances and see what happens,’ and luckily he took it because it sure wasn’t supposed to be right down the middle,” Elder said.

For his career, Ohtani is now 2-for-13 against Elder. I asked Elder if he was aware of his record against the game’s most feared slugger.

“No, but I don’t want to know,” he responded.

(Health update: Elder told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that his knee felt “pretty good” after the game: “Got a little tired after the first (inning) but then it was money. Hopefully, it bounces back good (Wednesday) and just keep rolling.”)

It may cause fans some consternation, but the Braves are going to need performances like Elder’s for a chance at postseason success. The Braves’ offense will return, but it continued its low-wattage performance Tuesday night.

The offense has been potent at times (it led baseball in runs and was fourth in OPS in July) and limp at others. Going into Tuesday’s games, the Braves were 25th in runs and 23rd in OPS for the month.

That inconsistency is reflected in the Braves’ season OPS being .722 through Monday, 13th in MLB. (The MLB average is .719.) Even as the Braves lead the NL East, it does not bode well for postseason glory.

There has not been a team that has made the World Series with an OPS that low since 2015, according to Stathead.

Another way of stating the unlikelihood that the Braves can make it to the World Series with such a hot-and-cold offense: Over the past 10 years, 12 of the 20 World Series teams had OPS rankings in the top three in MLB. Eighteen of the 20 were in the top eight. Again, the Braves were 13th through Monday.

As such, after ace Chris Sale, it may be the likes of Elder, Grant Holmes, trade-deadline acquisition Tyler Mahle or possibly AJ Smith-Shawver who ends up bearing more postseason responsibility than the fanbase might prefer.

But, it bears noting, they might be up to it. The Braves’ ERA since the Aug. 3 trade deadline is 3.19, fifth in the majors. The starting pitching is slightly better, at 2.95.

“It feels good,” Elder said. “Like I said the other day right after the deadline, we’re in no control of (trades). We had plans to do what we’re doing, regardless of who we picked up or who we got rid of, whatever it may be.”

Perhaps the sought-after playoff starters were here all along.

That would be something.

You can now get my column sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for my newsletter here.