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Phillies game
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
The Phillies host the Braves in a four-game series starting Friday, trailing by four games in.
The series could decide whether Philadelphia stays in the division race.
Background
The Phillies entered the series second in the NL East at 79-61, while the Braves led the division at 83-57 and held a 5-1 edge in the season series. Philadelphia had gone 7-3 in its last 10 games with a 2.66 ERA, but the team was trying to close the gap on Atlanta. The four-game set was framed as a chance for the Phillies to climb back into the division race, with more losses potentially ending their chances.
How it unfolded
- Sep 4, 2026The Braves visit the Phillies to open a four-game series, with Atlanta leading the NL East and holding a 5-1 season-series edge.
- Sep 5, 2026The Phillies drop the first game of the series, falling farther behind in the NL East race.
- Sep 6, 2026Zack Wheeler strikes out nine in six innings and Kyle Schwarber hits his MLB-leading 41st home run as the Phillies beat the Braves 4-2, pulling within four games of first place.
- Sep 8, 2026The Phillies open a three-game series against the Houston Astros.
- Sep 9, 2026The Astros beat the Phillies 6-5, with Houston improving to 74-71 and Philadelphia moving to 81-64.
Who’s saying what
- Analysts
- The series is seen as a chance for the Phillies to get back into the NL East race, but dropping more games to the Braves would all but end the division race.
- Caution
- The Phillies need a sense of urgency and a better showing after dropping the first game of the series.