Keuchel experiences déjà vu in rocky sixth

ATLANTA -- Dallas Keuchel won a World Series with the Astros and he is now preparing to pitch in the postseason for the fourth time in the past five years, including each of the past three. His presence should aid the young members of Atlanta’s rotation as they prepare to fill key roles in October.

But along with providing guidance, Keuchel will spend the regular season’s final week focusing on giving himself the best opportunity to end a unique year with postseason satisfaction. The former American League Cy Young Award winner cruised through one of his final tuneups before stumbling during the sixth inning of the Braves’ 4-1 loss to the Giants on Sunday afternoon at SunTrust Park.

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“I was fortunate to get through six and get a quality start,” Keuchel said. “But I’d really like to corral the command there in the sixth inning. There were a few hard-hit balls at first, but I was very fortunate to get through the first few innings unscathed. It wasn’t the sharpest I’d like to be. But I felt good out there. That’s really my main goal.”

Keuchel navigated his way through the first five innings in scoreless fashion and then yielded hits to three of the first five hitters he faced during a three-run sixth marred by Dansby Swanson fumbling Kevin Pillar’s grounder. This marked the second consecutive start the lefty was haunted by one big inning.

Before allowing the Phillies to tally five runs in the fourth inning of Tuesday’s 5-4 loss, Keuchel had allowed just four runs over his past 40 innings. The veteran southpaw will make one more regular-season start and then prepare for the postseason assignment he envisioned when he ended his long stint as a free agent by signing with the Braves on June 7.

“In a perfect world, you’d like to see a lot more crispness,” Keuchel said. “The human element of the game doesn’t really allow that sometimes. Being in the playoffs a few times, you just want to go in healthy. I feel good, and that’s the main goal. I’ve got one more start. I’m hoping to push forward and lock it in for the playoffs.”

This series finale capped the home portion of the regular season for the Braves, who need to win four of their final five games to secure the seventh 100-win season in Atlanta history (since 1966). Atlanta still has a slim shot to finish with the National League’s best record. But the Dodgers’ magic number to secure home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs stood at two entering play Sunday.

“I’ve thought about [100 wins] a lot,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I think that would be quite an accomplishment.”

A look ahead: After capturing the NL East on Friday, the Braves rested most of their regulars during the final two games of this series. Josh Donaldson, Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuña Jr. were not in Sunday’s lineup. Acu?a needs three more steals over the final five games to become the fifth player in MLB history to record 40 homers and 40 stolen bases in a season.

Snitker plans to play most of his regulars the rest of the regular season. But Freddie Freeman did not travel with the team to Kansas City on Sunday. Freeman will undergo treatment on his right elbow (bone spur) this week in Atlanta. He plans to be in the lineup for Friday night’s series opener against the Mets.

Rotation plans: Mike Soroka is scheduled to make his last regular-season start on Wednesday against the Royals. If Soroka is assigned Game 1 of the NL Division Series, he would make that start with three extra days of rest. If the Braves don’t shuffle their current rotation, Keuchel would be in line to start Game 2 on regular rest.

Snitker said he is not currently planning to shuffle his rotation for next weekend’s series against the Mets. But if Mike Foltynewicz were to throw another gem, the Braves would have to discuss starting him in one of the first two games. Foltynewicz has a 1.19 ERA over his past six starts.

SS battle? Swanson committed two errors during Sunday’s game and has now produced a .457 OPS in 89 plate appearances since returning from the injured list. Adeiny Hechavarría tripled on Sunday and now has an .892 OPS in 63 plate appearances with the Braves.

Snitker put Swanson in the leadoff spot on Sunday and plans to give him as many plate appearances as possible the rest of the way. But if there is not noticeable improvement over this final week, there will continue to be reason to argue for Hechavarria to enter the postseason as Atlanta’s starting shortstop.