The stage is set for a dramatic winner-take-all showdown between the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies, with a trip to the National League Division Series hanging in the balance.
After splitting the first two games of the National League Wild Card Series, the longtime division rivals will meet again in Atlanta for a decisive Game 3. The winner will advance to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS, while the losing team will see its postseason come to an abrupt end.
The Braves entered the series with home-field advantage and took control early by winning Game 1. However, Philadelphia responded in Game 2, rallying late and eventually securing a 3-2 victory in 10 innings to keep its season alive.
Now, everything comes down to one game.
Atlanta will have the opportunity to end Philadelphia’s postseason run in front of its home crowd, while the Phillies will look to extend their October journey and eliminate a familiar division rival.
For the Braves, a victory would carry additional significance. Atlanta has not won a postseason series since capturing the World Series five years ago. A Game 3 victory would also give the Braves their first postseason series win over the Phillies, having lost their previous three playoff meetings in 1993, 2022 and 2023.
WHEN DOES GAME 3 START?
After some uncertainty surrounding the schedule, Game 3 has officially been set for prime time.
First pitch is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET, giving both teams a national spotlight for the most important game of the series.
The Braves avoided another early-afternoon start after the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres secured their respective spots in the League Division Series.
That means Atlanta and Philadelphia will have the entire baseball world watching as they battle for the final available spot in the NLDS.
WHO WILL PITCH FOR THE PHILLIES?
The Phillies are expected to hand the ball to veteran right-hander Aaron Nola for the decisive contest.
Nola’s selection was first reported by The Athletic’s Matt Gelb before Philadelphia officially confirmed the decision. The Phillies had another major option in Zack Wheeler, who last pitched Sunday, but the club ultimately elected to go with Nola.
Nola brings postseason experience to a game where every pitch could prove decisive. With the Phillies’ season on the line, manager Don Mattingly has also indicated that the team will have an “all hands on deck” approach.
That could potentially bring Wheeler into the game if the situation calls for it.
Philadelphia’s pitching staff will therefore have little margin for error. The Phillies need to navigate Atlanta’s lineup while finding a way to preserve their bullpen for the later innings.
WHAT IS ATLANTA’S PITCHING PLAN?
The Braves have yet to officially settle on a conventional starter for Game 3, but the club is expected to use a bullpen-oriented approach.
Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle handled the first two games of the series, leaving Atlanta with fewer traditional starting options for the decisive matchup.
Grant Holmes is expected to play an important role, although the current expectation is that he will not open the game.
Instead, Ray Kerr is expected to start as the opener, with Holmes potentially entering shortly afterward.
Atlanta has already used this strategy successfully.
Kerr opened a recent regular-season game against the Miami Marlins, and Holmes followed him on the mound. The pair combined to deliver seven innings of one-run baseball, giving the Braves confidence that the same formula can work again when the stakes are significantly higher.
The challenge will be executing that plan against a Phillies lineup that knows it cannot afford to waste opportunities.
WHERE CAN YOU WATCH?
Game 3 will be televised nationally on NBC, giving fans across the country access to the decisive matchup.
In the Atlanta market, the game will be available on 11Alive. Because it is being broadcast on a major network, the game should also be accessible through virtually all major television providers.
Fans who receive local network channels over the air should also be able to watch the game without a traditional cable subscription.
EVERYTHING IS ON THE LINE
There is no tomorrow for the loser.
The Braves have home-field advantage and the opportunity to close out the series in front of their own supporters. The Phillies, meanwhile, have already shown their ability to respond after falling behind and will enter Game 3 knowing that one victory is enough to keep their season alive.
The Dodgers are waiting in the NLDS.
But before either Atlanta or Philadelphia can think about Los Angeles, they must settle their rivalry one final time.
One game. One winner. One ticket to the Division Series.
Game 3 will decide everything.
