Two of baseball's best teams make for the perfect series
Friday's opening game between the two bitter rivals could be a slugfest or a pitcher's duel. Zach Wheeler has always pitched very well against the Braves and that likely won't change on Friday but that doesn't mean the high-powered Atlanta offense can't tag him for a few runs quickly.
Wheeler also pitches fairly well at Citizens Bank with a 2.78 ERA over 381.1 innings pitched there in his career with 391 strikeouts. Opponents have batted just .211 against him there as well.
The same can be said for Spencer Strider. He could very well go out there and strike out 10+ or even flirt with a no-hitter. Spencer is 8-0 with a 1.90 ERA in eight regular-season games against Philadelphia, including three of those wins at Citizens Bank Park. His ERA when starting those three games in Philly sits at 1.42, However, Philly has a talented offense as well and could explode at any moment as we witnessed in the postseason.
"When we come to the yard, whether it's at home or here, it's a playoff atmosphere."
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) June 21, 2023
Austin Riley enjoys the Braves-Phillies rivalry.@Kelly_Crull caught up with Atlanta's third baseman after his game-tying homer in the series-opening win. pic.twitter.com/8jSJzpJRYT
We all know what the Atlanta Braves did offensively in 2023. They tied the MLB home run record and broke tons of franchise records but they fell short of their goal of winning the World Series. That is going to motivate them to prove everyone wrong and come out swinging against the Phillies this weekend.
Winning the first series of the year helps set the stage for the Braves in 2024 to make that dream a reality. They know that they have the right personnel in place to make this happen and won't want to waste the opportunity on such a big stage.
Watching two bitter rivals duke it out is one of the best things about professional sports and the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies provide one of baseball's best rivalries. This weekend's opening series is an event fans can't afford to miss.
First pitch from Citizens Bank Park takes place at 3:05 PM EST. Let's go Braves!