The Philadelphia Phillies are reigning back-to-back NL East champions, but before them, it was the Atlanta Braves. The Braves had won six consecutive division titles from 2018 to 2023, which included a World Series championship in 2021.
Although the New York Mets are the Phillies’ biggest rival, the Braves are right up there as well. The most recent drama fueling the Phillies-Braves rivalry came when the Phillies upset the Braves in the NLDS in back-to-back years in 2022 and 2023.
The Braves weren’t good in 2025 for various reasons, but they still feature a championship-caliber roster. Luckily for the Phillies, they just signed a known “Braves killer” in free agency.
Phillies’ newest outfielder Adolis García has his way with Braves
The Phillies signed Adolis García to a one-year, $10 million contract to bolster their outfield. Many Phillies fans have shown frustration with the team not signing a game-changing outfielder like Kyle Tucker, but García offers a lot to be excited about.
García projects to be the Phillies’ everyday right fielder in 2026. The veteran is a massive upgrade defensively over Nick Castellanos, who has manned the position for the last four years, and he’s a legitimate power threat.
He may not be the player he was in 2023, but Phillies fans shouldn’t treat this as another Max Kepler signing. García is a two-time All-Star, former Gold Glove outfielder and has hit 25 or more home runs in four of his five full major league seasons, including a career-high 39 home runs in 2023.
More importantly, García has had tremendous success against the Phillies’ division rival, the Braves. The right-handed hitting slugger owns a career .341 batting average in 44 at-bats against the Braves with three doubles, five home runs and 16 RBIs.
The NL East could be a tough division if the Braves bounce back from their underwhelming season. The Mets also missed the playoffs in 2025, but they’ll likely be in the mix for the division title this upcoming season, along with the Braves and Phillies.
García’s proven success against the Braves could be the difference in a third consecutive NL East title for the Phillies or not. A few big hits may be the difference in wins or losses, which will be crucial come playoff time.
The Phillies are banking on an offensive rebound by García in 2026. One thing is for certain: García feasts on the Braves.