Blink and you’d have missed it: three of four wild card series are already over in two games. The Yankees, Padres, and the White Sox all punched their tickets to the Division Series yesterday. There were good storylines in all three. Too bad, so sad, for the Red Sox and their truly MIA offense (but Adley went 0-for-4 and I am rather bummed). The White Sox ended a 21-year drought in which they hadn’t won a playoff series. And the Padres downed the Cubs, and now get to face the presumptive NL Cy Young
Award winner in Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski.
So that leaves just one game today: the Braves vs. the Phillies, for all the marbles. In Game 1, the Braves took a stunning come-from-behind win on a Philadelphia bullpen collapse, but Philadelphia staved off elimination in Game 2.
For Philly, it’ll be right hander Aaron Nola on the mound. Nola had a 4.50 ERA in three starts against Atlanta this season. MLB.com suggests we might see ace Zack Wheeler entering the game in relief, despite being on short rest. With everything on the line, certainly could be.
As for the Braves, it’ll be southpaw Ray Kerr appearing as an opener, presumably to handle lefty sluggers Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber at the top of the lineup. After that, righty Grant Holmes (10-6, 3.44 ERA in the regular season) is expected to handle most of the innings.
Starting Lineups
Phillies
1. Trea Turner, SS
2. Kyle Schwarber, DH
3. Bryce Harper, 1B
4. Alec Bohm, 3B
5. Bryson Stott, 2B
6. Derek Hill, RF
7. Brandon Marsh, LF
8. J.T. Realmuto, C
9. Justin Crawford, CF
Braves
1. Drake Baldwin, DH
2. Ronald Acuña Jr., RF
3. Matt Olson, 1B
4. Michael Harris II, CF
5. Mauricio Dubón SS
6. Mike Yastrzemski, LF
7. Austin Riley, 3B
8. Ozzie Albies, 2B
9. Dominic Smith, DH
