3 Reasons Braves Fans Should be Terrified of Phillies
By Tyler Maher
This week’s series between the Braves and Phillies didn’t mean much in the standings. Atlanta has already clinched the NL East and Philadelphia owns the top Wild Card spot in the NL, so there wasn’t much to play for.
Still, this was a chance for the Phillies to make one last statement against their division rivals before the playoffs start in two weeks, and they didn’t disappoint.
Philadelphia took two of three from the Braves in Atlanta, proving why the Phillies could be the Braves’ biggest obstacle to winning their second pennant in three years.
The Phillies winning that series tells me what I think most knew already
— Philly Sports Sufferer (@mccrystal_alex) September 20, 2023
The Phillies may easily be the biggest threat to the Braves in the National Leaguepic.twitter.com/blvpqqR4uB
This series was a scary reminder for Atlanta that Philadelphia is a legitimate World Series contender as well.
Here are three reasons why Braves fans should be scared of the Phillies heading into October.
3 Reasons to Fear Phillies
1. Our Offense is Electric
Man, this lineup can hit.
It took a while for everyone to get going, but since August this lineup has been pretty much unstoppable. Philadelphia set a franchise record for home runs in August and has the most homers in baseball since Aug. 1.
So yeah, our offense is peaking at the right time. Trea Turner has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball over the last six weeks, and Bryce Harper is back in MVP form. Kyle Schwarber is closing in on 50 home runs, Alec Bohm is nearing 100 RBIs, and J.T. Realmuto is still one of the best-hitting catchers in baseball.
Most home runs, last 26 games played:
— Ryan M. Spaeder (@theaceofspaeder) September 15, 2023
1. #Phillies Trea Turner - 14
2. #Phillies Kyle Schwarber - 13
...
5. #Phillies Bryce Harper - 10
With such a deep lineup, Philly ranks near the top of the National League in a bunch of categories, including top 3 in runs, hits, doubles, homers, batting average, slugging, OPS and total bases. These guys can mash.
The power is particularly impressive and should carry us far in October. While long balls are important in the regular season, they’re even more valuable in the playoffs. With so much quality pitching, it becomes even harder to string together hits and build rallies. The easiest and most efficient way to score is by simply knocking the ball over the wall.
The Braves have a great lineup, too, but with how well the Phillies have been swinging the bats lately they can absolutely give Atlanta a run for its money.