Here we go again. The Atlanta Braves are once again looking to make some noise in the MLB postseason. After a disastrous 2025 campaign that saw them completely miss the postseason, Atlanta is on track to once again make the postseason. While they haven't officially claimed a playoff spot yet, their magic number has been reduced to three following their win against the Chicago Cubs.
However, making the playoffs is just half of the battle. Baseball is a game of matchups. If the Braves face a team that they've historically struggled against, they might get in trouble. Let's look at what the worst possible scenario is for Atlanta heading into the postseason.
Braves' nightmare seeding, matchup scenarios for 2026 MLB Playoffs
Of course, the worst-case scenario for the Braves is for them to miss the postseason completely. It would be a complete catastrophe if Atlanta missed the postseason after holding a first-round bye for a good chunk of the season. That being said, let's set aside that scenario and look at what the worst-possible scenario is for the team if they do clinch the postseason.
It's worth noting that the Braves have not officially clinched the division title as well. Their magic number to do that is five games. However, they still clinch a postseason spot with three wins. In fact, there is a world where Atlanta makes the postseason despite losing all of their games, though this would take a lot of breaks for this to even happen in the first place.
Article Continues BelowThat scenario is already a nightmare in its own right. In that scenario, the Braves will face the Philadelphia Phillies as the sixth seed going up against the third seed. That's already a troublesome matchup for multiple reasons. Divisional series are always tougher than usual. Even with the Braves going 9-4 so far against the Phillies this season, that's not a guarantee that they'll be successful. Atlanta went 8-5 against Philly in 2023, but lost in four games to their rivals in the NLDS.
There's another potential nightmare matchup, though, and the Braves might just get that despite clinching the division. The San Diego Padres have been the Braves' kryptonite over the last four years. Atlanta has a measly 10-20 record against San Diego since 2023, including a 0-2 loss in the 2024 Wild Card round. This season, they're 3-4 against the Friars. There's a world where the Braves win the third seed, only to be the underdogs against a team that's given them fits.
The only benefit here is that in either case, they're set up to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS. The Braves have had the Dodgers' number this season, winning 5 of their 6 games against the team. It's also worth noting that the last time Atlanta faced LA in the postseason, Atlanta won not only that series, but also the World Series.
What good does that do the Braves, though, if they don't even make it past their Wild Card opponent? If the playoffs started today, Atlanta would face off against San Diego in the first round of the postseason. Considering their current form and past record, that would undoubtedly be the most nightmarish situation, even including the potential to be the sixth seed in the playoffs.
Atlanta's best chance of making a deep postseason run is to somehow overtake the Dodgers for the second seed in the National League. That would give them a first-round bye, and potentially set up the Dodgers to take on the Padres in the Wild Card round. San Diego has a record of 3-7 against Los Angeles so far this season.