It was a battle down in South Philly for a four-game series that concluded on Sunday Night Baseball. The Phillies bested the Braves three games to one and remained on top of the division with a 7.0-game lead. Up until this point, the Phillies had yet to prove they could handle the Braves this season. They took care of business over the weekend and continue chipping away at the magic number for winning the NL East.
The Braves did win the season series yet again, six games to seven, but with the division nearing a lock at this point, it won't amount to anything come a month from now. Even though it was the first series against Atlanta that they won, the Phillies, in a way, seem like their old selves again. At the peak of difficulty in their scheduling, they still managed to win their last three series.
Braves should be careful what they wish for after Phillies' recent playoff history
After the Phillies' walk-off win Sunday night, Braves manager Brian Snitker was asked if the Braves were able to secure a playoff spot, would they welcome a matchup against the Phillies once again, per MLB.com's Mark Bowman.
“Absolutely,” Snitker said, per Bowman. “I hope we can. I’d love nothing else than to see them again because that means we’re in.”
It's noble for Snitker to be looking for the next chance to face the Phillies, as it has been nothing but fireworks with every contest. The difference now is that it may not be in the best interest of the Braves to do that to themselves.
Recent memory would show that even with Atlanta having home-field advantage in the last two NLDS, the Phillies dominated them both times, winning three games to one. They also may have nightmarish flashbacks every time Nick Castellanos steps to the plate (subscription required), per Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
THAT IS ONE BAD MAN. pic.twitter.com/a648EoRfav
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 13, 2023
Outside of facing the Phillies, the Braves have a bigger issue now. With the losing weekend series, they now find themselves only holding a 0.5-game lead for the third and final Wild Card spot. Both the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Diego Padres have been chugging along and have put up the best MLB records post-All-Star break at 28-12.
The Phillies-Braves playoff rivalry has been everything fans could hope for over the last few seasons, but with the injuries and continued losing for the Braves and the Phillies looking playoff-ready, maybe the Braves should be careful what they wish for if they can get to the October dance.