The popular wisdom when it comes to baseball is that fans shouldn't even look at the standings until after Memorial Day. There is some truth to that, given baseball's 162-game schedule, but that doesn't mean these early-season games don't count just as much as those in August. In fact, when the Atlanta Braves take on the Phillies this weekend, it could set the tone for the rest of the season and stake the winner to a tangible advantage.
The Braves and Phillies enter the anticipated series in very different situations. The Braves have been one of the best teams in baseball again so far this season, thanks to all-around excellence on both sides of the ball, Dominic Smith going wild, and Bryce Elder defying all logic. However, the Phillies, who came into the 2026 season with heavy expectations on them, have only managed an 8-10 record, including losing seven of their last 10 games.
It is fair to say that both teams have not faced a challenge as big as this series thus far, and, looking at the matchups, it looks like this weekend could easily live up to the hype.
Braves' matchup against the Phillies will set the tone for their rivalry for the rest of 2026
In-division rivalries are one of the most fun parts about the game of baseball, and the rivalry between the Braves and Phillies is a great one. While Atlanta had the upper hand for years, the last couple of seasons have seen the Braves fall off a bit, and the Phillies capitalize on their stumbles. Both teams have All-Stars littered throughout their rosters, and no one would be surprised if either or both of them make a real playoff push this season.
This series is going to be a weird one. Unfortunately, the Braves are going with Martin Perez on Friday to take on a struggling Taijuan Walker, but Perez at least has had some success against Philly in the past. After that, the Braves will lean on Chris Sale and Grant Holmes for the final two games of the series, with the Holmes vs. Andrew Painter matchup looking particularly fun.
The elephant in the room with this series is that it is happening in Philadelphia. While it hasn't really shown up in the wins column thus far, playing in Philly is incredibly tough for anyone, let alone a hated division rival like the Braves. Atlanta is going to have to take the crowd out of these games early to mitigate that home-field advantage, although that is easier said than done.
If the Braves win, they will have a very healthy early-season lead in the NL East, which is currently looking softer than usual, while the Phillies will be in quite the hole to climb out of. However, if the Phillies win the series, they will be right back in the thick of things again, and Atlanta will regret missing a golden opportunity.
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