The Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves face a winner-take-all Game 3 in their NL Wild Card Series on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. The winner advances to the NLDS to face the Los Angeles Dodgers, while the loser faces an uncertain offseason.
Phillies Veterans Rally to Force Final Game
Facing elimination in Game 2, the Philadelphia Phillies relied on their veteran core to force a final game. Trailing 3-1 in the eighth inning, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper hit home runs to rally the team, followed by a 10th-inning hit from Alec Bohm to secure the win.
For Game 3, Philadelphia is expected to look toward its most seasoned arms. While the team has not yet announced a starter, Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler are considered the primary options. Both pitchers rank among the top five in innings pitched across baseball this decade.
Braves Use Platoon Strategy to Neutralize Phillies Hitters
Atlanta enters the decisive game with an all-hands-on-deck
approach to its pitching staff. The Braves have focused their strategy on neutralizing the Phillies’ top hitters, specifically Schwarber and Harper. For Game 3, the team decided it was best handled by a left-hander, at least initially, with Ray Kerr getting tagged as the opener to face the pair before likely handing it over to righty Grant Holmes.
Despite Dylan Lee allowing consecutive home runs to the Phillies’ left-handed stars in Game 2, Atlanta is expected to continue prioritizing platoon advantages. The Braves have four left-handed pitchers available—Kerr, Brent Suter, Lee, and Dylan Dodd—who could be rotated throughout the game to counter the Phillies’ lineup.
Ronald Acuña’s Postseason Performance
A significant storyline heading into Thursday is the limited impact of Braves star Ronald Acuña. Although he has stolen two bases and drawn three free passes—two walks and one hit-by-pitch—he has yet to record a hit in the series. This follows a trend of struggles against the Phillies in the postseason; Acuña hit 2-for-14 in the 2023 NLDS and totaled only five hits during the 2022 NLDS.
While Acuña has been a frequent target of boos from Philadelphia fans due to his regular-season production, he has not yet delivered a signature postseason moment against this rival. The question remains whether the Braves’ biggest star can break this trend when the team plays at Truist Park.
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