Phillies and Braves set for decisive Wild Card Game 3 on Thursday
Aaron Nola will start for Philadelphia while Raymond Kerr opens for Atlanta as the two teams meet in a winner-takes-all Game 3 that decides the NL Wild Card Series.
Philadelphia and Atlanta will clash in the final game of their best-of-three Wild Card Series on Thursday at Truist Park, with an 8:00 p.m. ET tip-off. Veteran right-hander Aaron Nola is slated to start for the Phillies, and the Braves will counter with left-hander Raymond Kerr as an opener.
The series has featured tight contests, including a late home run by Austin Riley in Game 1 and three clutch homers by the Phillies in the closing innings of Game 2. The winner will advance to the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
MLB analysts offered differing predictions. One expert projected a 5-2 Phillies victory, citing Nola’s importance and questioning the Braves’ offensive consistency. Another forecast an 8-4 win for Atlanta, emphasizing the Phillies’ recent struggles and doubting Nola’s ability to secure the series. A third analyst favored a 7-3 Phillies win, noting the challenges the Braves face assembling a bullpen after using an opener. A fourth prediction favored the Braves 7-5, pointing to home-field advantage and a stronger overall offense.
Odds from FanDuel list the Braves as -192 favorites with an over/under of 7.5 runs.