Braves Will Have No Luck Against Nola

Braves vs. Phillies, 7:00 ET

I'm sure that I have made this statement before - either this season or ones prior - when schedule makers build everything out, I'm sure they look at putting series that mean something closer to the end of the year. We've entered September and playoff races are going to come to a close. What better way of getting people excited than having the likely top-two teams in a division squaring off? Well, they got it half right in this one. The Braves take on the Phillies and they are the top two teams in the division, but this race is all but over as the Phillies hold a six game lead. 

The Braves really do need to be commended for the job they have done despite the players they've lost this season. Let's ignore the fact that they have lost one of their best pitchers, the reigning MVP of the National League, and at least three other key players have missed extended time this year. One guy that deserves a ton of credit for keeping them afloat is Marcell Ozuna who is having an outstanding season. Ozuna leads the team in homers at 37, RBIs at 98, and average at .307. He's a triple crown winner for the Braves offense. It isn't all that uncommon to have one guy leading the team in all three categories, but consider that last year it seemed like anyone who touched a bat for Atlanta had 20 homers. Tonight, they put their offense to the test against a very talented Philadelphia team. In order to stop them, they give the task to Spencer Schwellenbach. On the season, Schwellenbach has a 5-6 record with a 3.72 ERA. The ERA is pretty strong, but the WHIP at 1.07 is even better. When he was first called up in May, he struggled a bit during his only start that month and during the June outings. In July and August, he has settled in a bit, giving just 16 earned runs over 55.1 innings. He has faced the Phillies twice in that time, producing a quality start in both outings. However, both of those games were at home so it could be a bit different facing a division rival on the road, during Sunday Night Baseball.

May 29, 2024; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach (56) tosses the ball for a force out after fielding a ground ball against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Phillies took over the division lead early in the season and have not relinquished it at any point since. They are one of the more dominant teams in the league and really all that is left to figure out is if they are going to be the #1 overall seed in the National League. As they head into the playoffs, they have very few questions to answer. They have two front-end starters and a couple guys that can be relied on for one quality start per series. Their offense has very few holes, hitting for both average and for power. Not only that, but the team has postseason experience which is even more encouraging. To be honest, with the team this year, anything short of a World Series win has to be a bit of a disappointment. Before they get to that point, they need to get through this game first. They are putting out one of their aces today, Aaron Nola. Nola is having a great season with a 12-6 record, 3.30 ERA, and a 1.16 WHIP. Those numbers are all top-25 or better, and that's probably about right for where Nola should be in the MLB pitching ranks. He put together a nice August, going five starts and allowing just 10 runs over 30 innings. His last three outings of the month were the best as he allowed just two earned runs over 19 innings. Of course, those two earned runs came off of Braves' bats. Additionally, his worst start of the season was against Atlanta to open the year as he allowed six earned runs in 4.1 innings - that was against a different Braves team though.

I know the Braves aren't a bad team even without their star power. I know they have plenty of players that can step up and make an impact. They've shown us that all season long. I've even come around on Schwellenbach and think he is a decent enough starter. However, I think the Phillies are the better team. They have everything you could want out of a team and I am going to back them here. I'll personally play the run line because I think it is better value at +145. I think Nola is locked in right now and this should be a good Phillies win. 

For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024