PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The series everyone has been waiting for is finally here.
The National League East is on the line this week at Truist Park in Atlanta, where the Phillies will try to end a nine-year playoff drought by jumping the Braves in the standings and holding them off during the final weekend of the regular season.
“As a whole, I think we’re confident going into Atlanta,” said Phillies star and MVP-candidate Bryce Harper. “We have three games to make up in Atlanta, so we have to go down there, we have to do our job.
“We have to be ready to go from pitch one. You get 27 outs a game, and we have to be very good with all 27 of those outs.”
The Phillies enter the series 2 ½ games behind the Braves for first place in the division, and three back in the loss column because Atlanta has played one less game than the Phils.
The Braves’ “magic number” — or the Phillies’ “tragic number,” depending on how you look at it — to win the division is five. So, with any combination of Braves wins and Phillies losses that equate to five over the remainder of the regular season, Atlanta will go to the playoffs.
So, if the Braves sweep the three games, they’ll be celebrating the National League East title while the Phillies watch from the other dugout. If the Phils win only one game in the series, they’ll still be in the hunt mathematically but will need help from the Mets to sweep Atlanta on the road, while the Phils would have to win out in Miami — a place they play terribly at.
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Frankly, the Phillies will need to do well at LoanDepot Park anyway, but beating the Braves is first on the agenda.
“You get to the end of the year and you look for an opportunity to get to the playoffs," said manager Joe Girardi. “And that’s exactly what we have. We have an opportunity to get there and I think we’re all really looking forward to it. I think you just have to look at it — you got one game Tuesday. Find a way to win a game Tuesday and let’s see where we’re at, and we’ll go from there.”
Game 1 puts Phillies ace Zack Wheeler against Charlie Morton. There is simply no excuse for the Phils to lose with their ace on the mound. Game 2 is slated to have Aaron Nola counter lefty Max Fried, and the finale has Kyle Gibson scheduled to take on Ian Anderson.
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The Braves have won the last three National League East titles. The Phillies haven’t won since 2011 — the last time they were in the postseason.
Harper hopes to end that drought this week.
“It’s gonna be a great series,” he said. “That’s what the fans are there for. That’s what MLB loves to see on TV. Should be a great series and I’m excited, as an individual, for the game. I’m excited to go down there and play and I’m ready to go.
“All of us as a team are ready to go.”