The Philadelphia Phillies are back in October baseball — and it’s the Atlanta Braves standing in their way YET AGAIN.

The Phillies snuck into the 2026 MLB Postseason as the final NL Wild Card team after beating the Rays on the last day of the regular season, finishing 86-70. Now they head to Truist Park to face a Braves team that ran away with the NL East at 92-64. This is the fourth time in recent postseason history these two NL East rivals have collided in October — and the tension is real.

In this video, I break down everything you need to know about the 2026 NL Wild Card Series between the Phillies and Braves:

Series Schedule — Best-of-three, all games airing 2:00 PM ET on NBC/Peacock
Game 1: Tuesday, Sept. 29 @ Atlanta
Game 2: Wednesday, Sept. 30 @ Atlanta
Game 3 (if necessary): Thursday, Oct. 1 @ Atlanta

Pitching Matchups — Chris Sale, the NL Cy Young front-runner, gets the ball for Atlanta in Game 1 on extra rest after Atlanta strategically set up their rotation down the stretch. Philadelphia’s situation is murkier — with Zack Wheeler unavailable until a potential Game 3, the Phillies could turn to Cristopher Sánchez on short rest, rookie phenom Andrew Painter, or lean on a newly activated Jesús Luzardo out of the bullpen.

X-Factors — Who swings the series? We look at Kyle Schwarber’s power in a short series, whether Bryce Harper can deliver another signature October moment, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies at the top of Atlanta’s order, and whether Philly’s bullpen can bridge the gap if the rotation gets stretched thin.

Phillies Odds & Chances — With Atlanta as the well-rested home favorite and Sale lined up for Game 1, oddsmakers have the Braves favored, but Philadelphia has made a habit of playing spoiler in October. We break down what it would take for the Phillies to pull the upset.
If you’re a Phillies fan gearing up for the postseason or just want the full scouting report before first pitch, this video has you covered.