Three Cuts: Losing Charlie Culberson major blow to Braves’ depth on postseason roster

The good news for Culberson is that he won’t need surgery, but the loss of the utility man is a major blow to the Braves’ depth.

It will also figure prominently in the makeup of the soon-to-be NL East champs’ roster in the NLDS.

Atlanta was already down one versatile bench option with switch-hitting Johan Camargo on the 10-day injured list with a right shin fracture. The Braves haven’t ruled out Camargo returning, with manager Brian Snitker saying the fracture is being treated like a bruise, but with an estimated timeline of 2 1/2-3 weeks, it makes it difficult to believe he’d be available by the start of the postseason.

The postseason implications were all secondary after Culberson was hit by a Fernando Rodney fastball, but now that the Braves know they will be without his services, it becomes a matter of trying to make up for potentially both of Atlanta’s most box-checking options with multiple players.

“We got what we got right now,” Snitker said after Sunday’s loss to the Nationals. “It’s hard to recover that and to cover that organizationally. … We kind of are who we are right now.”

Adeiny Hechavarria — who is slashing .262/.347/.429 with 101 wRC+ in a Braves uniform — becomes that much more important as he can fill the void for a bench option in the middle infield, and Austin Riley can pick up the backup role at first base.

That tandem makes up the most versatile options the Braves would have on a postseason roster, and if Ender Inciarte (hamstring) is unable to return in time, it likely means carrying Adam Duvall and Riley (217 and 152 wRC+ vs. lefties, respectively) and Billy Hamilton, alongside Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Joyce and Nick Markakis.

With Culberson serving as the team’s emergency catcher, this all but assures that Francisco Cervelli will join Tyler Flowers and Brian McCann on the postseason roster (but considering this team carried little-used Rene Rivera last season, three catchers was likely in the cards anyway).

Dale Zanine Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports