Entering play Monday, the Philadelphia Phillies lead the Atlanta Braves by seven games in the NL East. With plenty at stake, the teams will begin a three-game series in Atlanta on Tuesday night.
With a sweep over the Braves, Philadelphia could stretch its division lead to 10 games and all but wrap up its first division title since 2011. In a division the Phillies have led comfortably all season, this feels like their first true test.
“I think we’ve been playing really well defensively, offensively. We’ve all been clicking on the same page,” Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker said Sunday, per NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I feel like we’re kinda back to where we were in the beginning of the year. Just keep it rolling. We’re not gonna win every game but just win every series.”
With its best two starters, Zack Wheeler (12-5) and Aaron Nola (11-6), on the mound for the first two games of the series, Philadelphia could quickly send a message. Wheeler and Nola have enjoyed success against Atlanta, with Wheeler posting an ERA of 3.07 and Nola posting an ERA of 3.61.
In the division it has dominated for the past several seasons, Atlanta has been playing from behind all season. The Braves have been bitten by injuries and never really generated momentum at any point in the season.
For the Braves, the series represents a chance to get back into the divisional race. A sweep over the Phillies puts them only four games out and puts all pressure on Philadelphia.
Atlanta is 4-2 against Philadelphia this season, averaging nearly seven runs a game. The Braves will have two of their three best arms in Reynaldo Lopez (7-4, 2.06 ERA) and Max Fried (7-7, 3.62 ERA) on the mound in the first two games of this series.
A series win rather than a sweep on either side doesn’t do much for either team. A sweep, though, will tell us whether this division is wrapped up or if the Braves are going to make another magical run, much as they did in 2021.