The Phillies are running it back with the same look for the series finale against the Braves, hoping their regulars can keep Philadelphia alive in a four-game set that has slipped away fast.
That’s the backdrop after a brutal Game 3 loss at Citizens Bank Park. Philadelphia had the kind of opening it wanted in this showdown with Atlanta: win the series opener, answer back in Game 2, then carry a lead deep into Game 3 with a chance to pull within three games in the NL East.
Instead, the game turned late. Aaron Nola was pulled, Alex McFarlane surrendered a three-run homer to Ronald Acuna Jr. to tie it in the eighth, and Austin Riley followed with a ninth-inning triple off Jhoan Durna that pushed Atlanta ahead for good in a 5-4 final.
Now the Phillies enter the finale five games back and officially out of the tiebreaker, which leaves little room for error if they want any shot at salvaging the series.
Interim manager Don Mattingly isn’t shaking up the card. Kyle Schwarber leads off at designated hitter after homering in two straight games, giving him an MLB-high 42 on the season. Philadelphia will need that power to keep showing up if it wants to avoid leaving this series empty-handed.
Trea Turner bats second and starts at shortstop after picking up a hit in each of the first three games. Two of those knocks have gone for doubles, and he’s also gone four straight games without striking out. Bryce Harper hits third and plays right field, though Atlanta has kept him quiet by snapping his long on-base streak in Game 1 and refusing to walk him once in the series.
Luis Arraez follows at second base, and he’s been one of the few Phillies swinging with real confidence against the Braves, going 5-for-11 so far. Alec Bohm is fifth and at first base, continuing a strong second half with three extra-base hits in the series. Bryson Stott is sixth and at third base, but he’s had a quieter run, managing only one hit against Atlanta.
Brandon Marsh returns in left field and hits seventh, but he still doesn’t have a hit in September. J.T.
Realmuto bats eighth behind the plate, and Justin Crawford finishes the order in center field. Philadelphia needs more from that bottom portion of the lineup, which has been short on production over the past week.
On the mound, Jesus Luzardo gets the start for the Phillies, while Grant Holmes opposes him in what amounts to a must-win game for Philadelphia if it’s going to keep chasing Atlanta in the division.
In Other News...
Braves Finally Made A Bryce Elder Change Fans Saw Coming
Bryce Elders season has reached the point where the Braves had to make a practical adjustment. Atlanta announced that Elder will move temporarily to the bullpen, a response to a stretch of uneven performance and the nagging knee pain that has been following him. For a team still trying to stabilize its rotation, it was the kind of move fans had been expecting for a while, even if it came later than many thought it would.
AJ Smith-Shawver, Reynaldo Lpez and Martn Prez are lined up to start the upcoming series against the Rays, giving Atlanta a different look for the moment. The Braves have framed Elders move as temporary, and there is still a path for him to return to the rotation later in the month, possibly during the series against the Cubs in mid-September, which keeps this from sounding like a permanent demotion just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Ronald Acua Jr. Is Becoming The Perfect Phillies Villain
Ronald Acua Jr. has found a way to make an already charged Braves-Phillies rivalry feel even louder. During a recent series against Philadelphia, his home run celebrations drew plenty of attention from Phillies fans, especially after he turned a game-tying blast into a curtain call moment that only poured more fuel on the exchange between the two clubs.
For Atlanta, that kind of edge is part of what makes Acua so compelling. For Philadelphia, it has only sharpened the feeling that he is becoming the kind of opponent their fan base loves to hate, the sort of player who can turn a routine divisional matchup into something far more personal. And in a rivalry built on emotion and investment, that sort of performance seems likely to keep the tension high every time these teams meet. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Rotation Gets A Huge Test As Reynaldo Lopez Returns
Reynaldo Lopez is set to rejoin the Braves rotation Wednesday against the Rays, a welcome development for a staff that has been asked to absorb plenty of innings during a packed stretch. Lopez has been sidelined for six weeks with left knee inflammation, and his return gives Atlanta another established starter as it tries to keep the workload in check over the coming days.
The move also reshuffles the back end of the staff for now, with Bryce Elder heading to the bullpen while he works through a minor knee issue. Elder is not expected to go on the injured list, but the Braves will be watching how both pitchers respond as the schedule keeps coming fast and the rotation picture continues to evolve. [Read more 🡒]