After collecting a series win on Sunday and reducing their magic number, the Braves open up a four game set with division rivals on Monday. Atlanta will play a day/night double header against the Phillies on Monday followed by games on Tuesday and Wednesday. Here are three things to watch for in this late season affair.
1. Kyle Wright Return?
Kyle Wright has been sidelined since May with shoulder inflammation. After some encouraging rehab starts, it appears Wright could join the major league roster during this series and get a start. Wright won 21 games a season ago but has only been able to make five total starts in 2023.
Michael Soroka is now out for the season and Spencer Strider is battling the same sickness that kept Austin Riley out for a couple of games. With the starting rotation facing this adverisity and Wright looking healthy, this is the perfect opportunity to get him back in the groove before the playoffs.
2. Can Atlanta Clinch the Division in Philly?
The Braves have a magic number of six to take the National League East title for the sixth straight season. With the Phillies being the second place team in the division, every Braves' win this series will drop the magic number down by two.
The Phillies have been playing really good baseball over the last month or so. Winning three out four games on the road against Philidelphia will not be an easy task. However, if the Braves could do just that, they could clinch the NL East in this series in front of the fans of their rivals.
3. Matt Olson 50th Homerun?
Matt Olson will enter this series leading all of baseball with 48 homeruns on the season. He has been on a power surge all year long. Olson hitting 50 long balls in 2023 seems inevitable but it feels like this will be the series he accomplishes that feat.
Olson would join Braves' legend Andruw Jones as the only other play in franchise history to hit 50 homeruns in a single season. Jones, who just had his number retired at Truist Park on Saturday, hit 51 in 2005.