2 former Brewers become surprise additions to Braves' 2026 Wild Card roster

Due to their record-breaking 103-win regular season, the Milwaukee Brewers have the privilege of watching the volatile Wild Card Series this week rather than playing in it. The Brewers, who earned a first-round bye and the top overall seed in the postseason for the second consecutive year, will play their first playoff game this coming Saturday, October 3, at American Family Field.

While Pat Murphy's squad bypassed the best-of-three Wild Card Series this year, there are absolutely things for Brewers fans to watch out for over the next three days. The most significant development the Milwaukee faithful will be monitoring is the outcome of the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs' matchup, as the winner advances to the National League Division Series to play the Brewers. It's the second consecutive year in which the winner of a Cubs-Padres Wild Card Series will play the Brewers in the NLDS, but this year, said series will be played in San Diego rather than at Wrigley Field, where the matchup took place last year. Game 1 of the Cubs-Padres' best-of-three series takes place tonight, Tuesday, September 29, at 9:00 p.m. CT on Peacock.

The other NL Wild Card Series being played this week is a matchup of NL East rivals. The Atlanta Braves, who won their seventh NL East crown in the last nine years, are hosting the Philadelphia Phillies, who barely hung on to the final Wild Card spot in the NL. While Brewers fans certainly care about the outcome, as the winner will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS, with a spot in the NLCS on the line, there's another reason for Milwaukee fans to tune in to the best-of-three series in Atlanta: former Brewers Rowdy Tellez and Brewer Hicklen were surprisingly named to the Braves' Wild Card roster.

1B Rowdy Tellez and OF Brewer Hicklen named to Braves' 26-man Wild Card roster despite limited regular season roles

Of the duo, Tellez certainly had the more significant tenure in Milwaukee. After being acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays halfway through the 2021 season, Tellez went on to spend two and a half seasons with the Brew Crew, highlighted by a 2022 season during which he crushed 35 homers. However, after a tough 2023 season, the Brewers non-tendered Tellez during the offseason, and the lefty slugger has since bounced around to four different organizations.

Tellez landed with the Braves shortly before Opening Day this year and spent much of the season with Atlanta's Triple-A club. In fact, the 31-year-old Tellez collected just 10 big-league at-bats this year, all of which came during the second half of June. However, when the Braves announced their Wild Card roster on Tuesday morning, Tellez was surprisingly included. His persistent ability to change a game with one swing remains a coveted trait in the postseason. Tellez displayed that ability with the Brewers back in 2021, when he crushed two homers in the NLDS against, ironically, the Braves.

Hicklen, on the other hand, played just three games with the Brewers during the 2024 season. Brewer collected just five at-bats with the Brewers during that stretch and was ultimately designated for assignment just before Opening Day 2025. He appeared in one game for the Detroit Tigers in 2025 before landing with the Braves ahead of the 2026 campaign.

Hicklen played in just 20 games for the Braves this year, during which he collected only 39 at-bats, but he too was surprisingly included on Atlanta's Wild Card roster. Hicklen's speed and defensive abilities make him a sneaky weapon on the Braves' bench, despite his lack of big-league experience.

Tellez and Hicklen join former Brewers Mauricio Dubón and Brent Suter, neither of whom were surprises, on the Braves' Wild Card roster as Atlanta looks to beat their division rivals and secure a date with the back-to-back World Series Champions in the NLDS. Whether it's a late-game pinch-hit appearance for Tellez or a key pinch-running situation from Hicklen, this pair of former Brewers who were surprise additions to the Braves' Wild Card roster could end up playing key roles in their team's best-of-three series against the Phillies.

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