Braves Battle Phillies in Playoff-Like Series
With Austin Riley out until next season and Ronald Acuña Jr. also out, the Braves are still shorthanded going into Thursday's opening against the Phillies. To score against a hot Phillies team that has swept to the top of the NL East behind Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Kyle Schwarber, Atlanta will now mostly rely on Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, and Sean Murphy. Although the Braves can grind out victories if their pitching staff can restrict damage and role players step up at the plate, Philadelphia's deep rotation and bullpen give them a distinct advantage on paper. This series in Philadelphia could be crucial in determining the division in the final stages as the postseason race gets closer.
The Phillies' hot hitters mean that Atlanta's starters must stay in games long enough to prevent early damage. The most significant challenge will be to prevent players like Harper and Turner from posting misleading statistics. Hitters like Murphy and Michael Harris II must be reliable. To match Philadelphia's firepower, timely hitting with runners in scoring position will be crucial. Atlanta might gain an advantage by creating runs with speed, situational hitting, and pressure on the Phillies' defense in the absence of their top power threats. To keep Citizens Bank Park from exploding, the Braves' relievers must maintain leads and restrict walks since Philly thrives in the late innings.
Given the lineups of both staffs, there's a good likelihood that this series will include at least one pitching battle. Frontline arms like Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler, who can dominate well into games and silence even potent offenses, are a strength of the Phillies. The onus is on Atlanta's Bryce Elder and Chris Sale to match that level; if they dominate the strike zone and restrict walks, they can silence Philadelphia's bats and make the game resemble a low-scoring chess game. Nevertheless, because both squads possess considerable power, a single error can rapidly shift the momentum.
With Citizens Bank Park hosting the games, the series' fan base is sure to be lively and passionate. The Phillies' fans are notorious for fostering one of baseball's loudest and most antagonistic environments. Since their club is winning the NL East, the atmosphere will seem virtually playoff-like. Braves players can anticipate constant pressure and commotion from the crowd, and every pitch will elicit a response from the fans. Conversely, Braves supporters, who are always fervent and devoted to the rivalry, will be keenly observing since they understand that their squad needs a spark without Riley and Acuña. Quieting the Philadelphia crowd might be as crucial as any on-field change if Atlanta can take an early lead. This has all the ingredients for a playoff-style fandom when everything seems to be exaggerated.
