The Phillies are heading into the National League Wild Card Series with a roster that looks a lot like the one they rode through the stretch run, and that means interim manager Don Mattingly is betting on continuity as Philadelphia opens its chase for a World Series title against the Atlanta Braves.
Philadelphia, the No. 3 Wild Card team in the NL and No. 6 seed overall, will be on the road for a three-game series at Truist Stadium. The winner moves on to the NLDS to face the No. 2 seed Los Angeles Dodgers in a five-game series.
The matchup doesn’t come with much comfort for the Phillies. They went 4-9 against Atlanta in the regular season and were outscored by 23 runs, so the Braves have already shown they can make life difficult for Philadelphia. Still, a short series changes the script fast, especially with everyone available and every inning carrying extra weight.
The biggest roster note had already been made public: Luis Arraez, who hurt his left ankle on Sept. 24 against the Milwaukee Brewers, is not on the roster, and Otto Kemp takes his place. The Phillies also revealed that Jesus Luzardo will start Game 1, with Andrew Painter behind him.
Outside of that, there are no major surprises. Philadelphia is carrying three catchers again, with J.T.
Realmuto joined by Rafael Marchan and Garrett Stubbs. Kyle Schwarber is listed as the designated hitter.
One of the more interesting details is Edmundo Sosa being listed as an infielder, a clue that may say something about how Mattingly plans to arrange the lineup. Sosa has bounced around the diamond, playing third base, shortstop, second base and left field, and left field is where he has logged the most innings.
He could be in line to handle third base every day, particularly if Bryce Harper stays in right field. Harper is listed among the outfielders, which suggests that arrangement is the one Philadelphia intends to use.
The rest of the infield group includes Alec Bohm, Kemp, Bryson Stott and Trea Turner. In the outfield, Harper is joined by Justin Crawford, Bryan De La Cruz, Derek Hill and Brandon Marsh.
Philadelphia also added Zack Wheeler to the pitching staff, giving the Phillies another possible option for Game 3. Aaron Nola and Cristopher Sanchez, the probable Game 2 starter, are on the roster as well, so the club has its full starting rotation available if needed.
The bullpen mix includes Jose Alvarado, Tanner Banks, Jonathan Bowlan, Jhoan Duran, Tim Mayza, Alex McFarlane and Chase Shugart. Which of those arms actually gets used is less certain, especially with confidence low in a lot of that group.
If things go according to plan, Mattingly will get strong length from his starters and only need to lean on McFarlane and Duran to finish things off in a tight game.
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Braves Roster Choice Just Changed This Phillies Wild Card Matchup
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For the Phillies, the opponents roster construction matters because it shapes how the matchup may unfold from the first game on. Atlanta is also expected to be without Martin Perez and Lane Thomas because of injuries, which trims some of the depth the Braves would normally lean on in a tight playoff series. The result is a familiar October tension for Philadelphia, one where the numbers on the roster card may matter almost as much as the names in the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Face Immediate Pressure After Game 1 Gamble Backfires
Jess Luzardo gave the Phillies a chance to settle in, working well enough to keep the opener tight against Atlanta before the game turned on a sequence the club cant afford to relive. Don Mattingly chose to lean hard on Jhoan Duran in Game 1 of the Wild Card Round, asking the closer to cover multiple innings in a high-stakes spot, and the decision looked viable until the game unraveled around a defensive misplay by Trea Turner and the hits that followed.
Austin Rileys game-winning home run finished the Braves comeback and left Philadelphia with an urgent problem as the series shifts forward. Now the Phillies have to win two straight to keep moving, and they may have to do it with Duran either unavailable or not fully right for Game 2, which puts even more pressure on a roster that already spent its best late-game weapon in a night that got away. [Read more 🡒]
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The Braves finally locked up the NL East and punched their ticket to the postseason, then celebrated the division win after beating the Astros. It was a familiar kind of finish for a club that has spent the summer chasing another first-place finish, and it sets up a quick turnaround as the Wild Card Series opens Tuesday afternoon.
For Philadelphia, the timing adds another layer to a rivalry that already carries plenty of October weight. Walt Weiss made clear his team is not interested in worrying about the start time or the opponent, only about being ready when the next round begins. However the bracket settles, the Braves have put themselves in position to keep playing, and the Phillies now know the path ahead includes a division rival that sounds prepared for anything. [Read more 🡒]