Braves' Charlie Morton Out for NLDS with Finger Injury After Being Put on 15-Day IL

The Atlanta Braves' World Series aspirations took a hit on Sunday, as the team announced that starting pitcher Charlie Morton has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Sept. 23, with right index finger inflammation.

That means he'll be ineligible for the NLDS since those rosters have to be finalized before he's eligible to return.

Morton, 39, was expected to be Atlanta's No. 3 starter come the NLDS. But after being removed from his start on Friday night against the Washington Nationals following the first inning, he told reporters he expected a stint on the injured list to follow.

"This is more a question about effectiveness," he said. "I can pitch. I can go out there and pitch, but the next start I make is probably going to be in the postseason, if I had to guess. It's not a game in late May or early August. It's going to be the biggest of the season. That's where the frustration comes in and the question mark comes in."

He's been steady for the Braves this season, going 14-12 with a 3.64 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 183 strikeouts in 163.1 innings.

He's also been very solid in the postseason during his career, with a 7-5 record to go along with a 3.60 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 92 strikeouts in 80 innings.

In his absence, Bryce Elder will likely get the nod as the No. 3 starter behind Spencer Strider and potentially Max Fried, who was placed on the 15-day injured list earlier in the week with a blister on his left index finger. The expectation is that he'll be ready for the postseason.

But suddenly, Atlanta's rotation has some serious question marks. The 24-year-old Elder was excellent in the first half of the season, earning himself a spot in the All-Star Game, but he's since posted just a 5.40 ERA across his past 13 starts.

The Braves likely would face either the Philadelphia Phillies or Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS, depending on how the Wild Card standings shake out. The Braves are 8-5 against the Phillies this season, the team that eliminated them from the postseason last year, and 3-3 against the Diamondbacks.

Other possible opponents include the Chicago Cubs or Miami Marlins.