Phillies vs Braves: How the division race stacks up

Defense

Braves: The Braves are top-ten fielding defense. Freddie Freeman can pick it at first base, and Dansby Swanson, the first overall pick in the 2015 Draft, has been fantastic at shortstop.

In the outfield, Ender Inciarte is a two-time Gold Glove Center Fielder, while Markakis has made just one error this year.

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Phillies: The Phillies have struggled defensively all season long. Part of it has to do with multiple players playing out of position. Rhys Hoskins is playing left field instead of first base and has struggled to adjust. Scott Kingery is playing shortstop instead of second base and has had a learning curve there.

However, most of the time, the mistakes are from mental or fundamental miscues. The Phillies are tied with St. Louis for the most errors in baseball this year with 96 errors and for last with a .979 fielding percentage.

Advantage: Atlanta

The Braves have the advantage here. Based on statistics and personnel, the Braves have played better defense than the Phillies all year.

Starting Rotation

Braves: The Braves rotation is good at the top, but tails off at the bottom. Mike Foltynewicz has been very good all year long. He is tied for the team lead wins with ten, while he leads the team in with a 2.72 ERA and in strikeouts with 161. He might be in the Cy Young conversation, but is a long shot to win it.

After Foltynewicz, Sean Newcomb is 10-6 with a 3.73 ERA and took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Dodgers in July.  Julio Teheran is 8-7 with a 3.73 and Anibal Sanchez is 6-4 with a 3.13 ERA. Finally, Kevin Gausman has been good in two starts with the Braves since being traded from Baltimore in July.

The Braves have some good pitchers, but after Foltynewicz, you don’t know what you’re going to get in a big game.

Phillies: The Phillies have a young rotation as well, but Aaron Nola looks like a veteran when he takes the mound and Jake Arrieta is a World Series Champion.

Nola has a legitimate chance at the Cy Young this year. He is 14-3 with a 2.24 ERA and 160 strikeouts. He’ll finish the season with over 200 innings, and he’s been dominant every time he has taken the mound.

Arrieta has been a huge addition to this staff going 9-8 with a 3.25 ERA, but his presence has been even more impactful on the young rotation. His playoff experience will be vital down the stretch and the Phillies will have no doubts handing him the ball in a big game.

Vince Velasquez, Zach Eflin and Nick Pivetta have been decent, but somewhat inconsistent. When each of them are pitching well, they can be as dominant as anyone.

This staff has been the reason the Phillies are in the race for first place.

Advantage: Phillies

They are close in the rankings with the Braves staff ERA at 3.85 and the Phillies having just slightly better at 3.79. The Phillies’ rotation has more talent, experience, and depth than the Braves’ rotation. Because of that, the Phillies have the advantage in the starting rotation.

Bullpen

Braves: The Braves don’t have too many big names in their bullpen. Their closer, Arodys Vizcaino is very good with fifteen saves and a 1.65 ERA.

AJ Minter and Dan Winkler both have 54 appearances and a 3.24 and 2.72 ERA respectively. Former Phillies top prospect and Philadelphia native Jesse Biddle has a 2.63 ERA in 41 appearances as he’s revived his career.

There isn’t too much experience in the Braves’ bullpen. Peter Moylan is the only major contributor with experience, and that overall inexperience makes it hard to count on them down the stretch.

Phillies: The additions of Tommy Hunter and Pat Neshek this offseason have solidified the Phillies’ bullpen, and Neshek has been outstanding since his return from injury.

This bullpen has pitched well in big situations for most of the year and has been a huge help to this team.

Philadelphia Phillies

Seranthony Dominguez has been dominant this year, at least when he gets a days rest. He was a starting pitcher in the minor leagues, but his stuff has translated extremely well to the bullpen.

He has 14 saves and a 2.28 ERA. As long as he has some rest, he’s been as dominant as any closer this year.

The only problem with him is experience and fatigue. He hasn’t pitched this much before and hasn’t even played a full season in the league yet.

Advantage: Phillies

Both teams have had decent bullpens this year, but the Phillies’ have more depth in theirs. They have five or six pitchers they have counted on in big situations this year.

The Braves only have three or four that they can go to in big spots. The Phillies bullpen is built to last down the stretch and for that, they have the upper hand.

So who is the better team?

The Braves have the advantage offensively and defensively. The Phillies have the advantage with their pitching staff. Good pitching will always beat good hitting, especially in the crisp fall temperatures at playoff time.

This division will come down the final eleven games of the year when these two teams play seven times. It’s going to be a tight race to the end, but the Phillies have a better pitching staff than the Braves.

They’re a year or two ahead of schedule, but I’m picking the Phillies to win the National League East.