When do the Phillies-Braves play?: Wild Card round schedule, pitching matchups, playoff history

Dan O'Mara Tue, September 29, 2026 at 12:21 PM UTC

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The Philadelphia Phillies are back in the playoffs after nearly blowing their Wild Card lead in the last week of the season and clinching a postseason berth in Game 162.

The Brief

The Phillies and Braves will meet in the Wild Card round starting Tuesday.

The best of three series will be played at Truist Park in Atlanta with all games starting at 2 p.m.

The Phillies were bested by the Braves in the regular season, but playoff history is on Philadelphia's side.

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Phillies are back in the playoffs after nearly blowing their Wild Card lead in the last week of the season and clinching a postseason berth in Game 162. The Phillies will take on the Atlanta Braves in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, starting Tuesday.

Phillies-Braves Wild Card schedule

What we know

The Phillies and Braves will begin their best-of-three Wild Card round series on Tuesday in Atlanta.

Each game will take place at Truist Park in Atlanta with first pitch slated for 2 p.m.

Wild Card pitching matchups

What we know

Since Zach Wheeler needed to pitch in the final game of the season, the Phillies are still considering how to match up their staff for the short Wild Card series. Lefty Jesus Luzardo, who threw four pitches out of the bullpen in his return from the injured list on Sunday, will be an opener for the Phillies in Game 1, followed by rookie Andrew Painter.

Luzardo vs. Braves

In 11 career starts against the Atlanta Braves, Luzardo holds a 2.89 ERA with 9 strikeouts and 24 walks. Earlier this month, in his only start against the Braves this season, Luzardo tossed a complete-game, two-hit shutout on 109 pitches. This time around, Luzardo, pitching on short rest, will only be expected to give the Phillies an inning or two before handing it over to Painter and the bullpen.

Phillies Game 2 starting pitcher

While neither team has announced a starting pitcher for the second game of the season, it appears at least somewhat likely the Phillies will turn to Cristopher Sanchez. The 2026 All-Star Game starter last pitched on Sept. 25, allowing 2 runs in 7 innings with 10 strikeouts against the Tampa Bay Rays.

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In his career against the Braves, Sanchez holds a 3.26 ERA in 49.2 IP – 8 starts and 1 relief appearance – with 55 strikeouts and 12 walks. Two of his starts against the Braves came at Truist Park, where he gave up a combined 6 runs in 10 innings pitched.

Who will start Game 3?

If the Wild Card round reaches a crucial third game, both teams will likely pull out all the stops to keep their season alive. Zach Wheeler will likely be who the Phillies will give the ball to in a do-or-die game. By Thursday, Wheeler will have had four days rest, still short of his usual five days, but he would likely be available in some capacity.

Who are the Braves starting pitchers?

The Braves, who buttoned up their playoff spot on Sept. 18, will start veteran left-hander Chris Sale in Game 1. In 11 career starts against the Phillies, Sale has a 3.27 ERA 83 strikeouts and 14 walks. Sale, 37, last pitched against the Phillies in September, allowing 2 runs in 6 innings.

The Braves have not announced a Game 2 starter, but Grant Holmes or Bryce Elder could be options. Holmes, 30, started over 29 games for the Braves and posted a 3.44 ERA. In his last start against the Phillies, the right-hander allowed 2 runs in 4 innings.

Phillies-Braves: Head-to-head record

By the numbers

The Phillies and Braves played 13 times in the 2026 season, with Atlanta winning nine times. In those match-ups, the Phillies scored 43 runs and allowed 66.

While the 2026 regular season numbers aren't pretty, recent playoff history between the two teams gives Philadelphia the edge. The Phillies eliminated the Braves as underdogs in the 2022 NLDS and did the same the following year.

The Phillies have an all-time 10-4 record in the postseason against the Atlanta Braves.

The Source

Information provided by the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, and Baseball-Reference.com

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Sports”