If the 2023 postseason started today, the Atlanta Braves would have a first-round bye wrapped up. The top-seeded Braves would await the winner of the fourth and fifth-seeded teams. As of now, those two teams would be the division rival Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs.
The Philadelphia Phillies are currently second in the NL East at 79-65, 15.0 games back of the Braves. The Cubs are 78-67, just 3 games out of first place in the NL Central behind the Brewers.
We take a look at the Braves' potential matchups with the Phillies and the Cubs in the second round. Some things to keep in mind, last year the Braves had the advantage regarding pitching as the Phillies had to use their top two pitchers (Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler) in a two-game first-round sweep of the Cardinals. So, it is likely that the Braves will enter this series with an advantage at starting pitching.
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So, let's dive into the matchup breakdowns on the next slides. We'll take a look at each team's lineups and how their rotations and bullpens stack up against the Atlanta Braves. Spoiler Alert: This won't end well for the Phillies or the Cubs.