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Fans excited about Braves playoff game Tuesday
Fans have already begun arriving at The Battery. FOX 5 spoke with two longtime Braves supporters who traveled from Jacksonville, Florida, and plan to attend the first two games.
ATLANTA - The Braves are back in the playoffs, and so are some familiar rivals. Philadelphia comes to Truist Park on Tuesday for a National League wild-card series that gives Atlanta another chance to get past the team that ended its postseason runs in 2022 and 2023.
What we know:
The Braves won the NL East with a 94-68 record and took the season series against the Phillies 9-4. Philadelphia claimed the league’s final playoff spot Sunday with a 7-3 win over Tampa Bay, finishing 88-74. None of that guarantees much in a best-of-three series: The first team to win twice moves on, and every game will be played in Atlanta.
A rivalry with playoff history
Atlanta had the better record when these teams met in the 2022 and 2023 National League Division Series, but Philadelphia won both matchups. The Phillies also beat the Braves in the 1993 NL Championship Series. Across those three series, Philadelphia has won 10 of 14 games.
Chris Sale is set to start Tuesday’s opener for Atlanta. He posted a 2.16 ERA this season, including a 2.08 ERA in four starts against Philadelphia. Tyler Mahle is expected to start Game 2. The Phillies had planned to start Zack Wheeler on Tuesday but used him Sunday to secure their playoff berth; they had not settled on a replacement for Game 1.
The Braves closed the regular season with a 5-3 loss to Miami on Sunday. Ozzie Albies went hitless in two at-bats, but the game marked a personal milestone: He played all 162 regular-season games for the first time in his career. His wife celebrated the achievement in an Instagram post praising the work behind it and looking ahead to the playoffs.
Fans get ready for Tuesday
What they're saying:
Fans have already begun arriving at The Battery. FOX 5 spoke with two longtime Braves supporters who traveled from Jacksonville, Florida, and plan to attend the first two games. They said they are hoping for a strong start from Sale — and a loud home crowd when the Phillies take the field.
The Braves are expected to share more details Monday afternoon about playoff activities and new food offerings at Truist Park.
Game 1 and Game 2 are scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. A third game, if needed, is scheduled for Thursday; MLB says its time could change depending on how many wild-card series remain in play.