To preview each postseason series, we’ll be giving you three questions to be answered. So here, for the NL East champion Atlanta Braves versus NL Central champ St. Louis Cardinals, are your three defining questions:
Atlanta comes into this series a little bruised. Ender Inciarte, who’s been out with a hamstring strain for more than a month, won’t be on the roster. Neither will Charlie Culberson (fractured cheekbone), and Johan Camargo (shin) likely won’t, either. Their collective absence means that the club will miss out on some depth and flexibility that would have been much appreciated—but the more pressing question is what it can expect from Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuña, Jr.