The Atlanta Braves’ seemingly unshakeable lead in the NL East has crumbled, now sitting at a razor-thin three games. It felt like this division was over, right? Well, the red-hot Phillies just cranked out a ridiculous nine-game winning streak, completely tearing into what was a 10 ½ game advantage for Atlanta earlier in the season.
This NL East Rollercoaster Is Wild!
Man, what a wild ride this NL East thing has been! The Braves were basically chilling in first place nearly all season, not really giving it up since April 7 when they were just a half-game out. They even beat the Pirates on June 7, pushing their lead to a commanding 9 ½ games, sitting at 45-21. You’d think that was it. But then, Atlanta went on a brutal 4-13 run for the rest of June. Meanwhile, the Phillies, who started a terrible 9-19 and even fired their manager early on, caught fire. They went 18-10 in May and followed it up with an 18-9 June! That crazy swing brought the Braves’ lead down to a terrifying 2 ½ games by July and only two games by the All-Star break.
Atlanta got hot again post-break, while Philly kinda stumbled, losing eight of their last nine in July. The Braves wrapped an eight-game winning streak around the calendar turn, winning 10 of 15 to end the month, hitting 70-45. They even boosted their lead back to 9 ½ games by August 12. Division race over, again, right? Nope. Atlanta then dropped seven of their next nine games before winning on Sunday night. The Phillies? They didn’t lose during that same stretch. Their 9-15 July looks like a distant memory with a 16-5 August, and that nine-game winning streak just chopped the lead down to a measly three games. Talk about whiplash! This NL East race is officially one of the most interesting playoff battles in the league.
Injury Woes and a Massive Road Trip
Both these teams have definitely battled the injury bug, but the Braves’ pitching staff has taken some serious hits. Spencer Schwellenbach is trying to get back before the end of the season from elbow surgery, though his recovery hasn’t been smooth. Reynaldo López just tossed four innings in Triple-A on a rehab assignment for his knee, so he’s theoretically coming back soon. But Spencer Strider? He’s done for the season. And Robert Suarez is on the comeback trail for an elbow injury in the bullpen. That’s a lot of question marks, but also a lot of hopeful returns for Atlanta.
Looking at the schedule, it doesn’t get easier for either team. The Braves have the fourth-hardest remaining schedule in baseball, with their opponents’ winning percentage at .521. The Phillies aren’t far behind, checking in with the seventh-hardest at .519. Get this, though: our boys in the Emerald City get a piece of the action! The Phillies are hitting the road this week, heading out west to face our **Mariners** at T-Mobile Park, and then they play the Angels. After that, they’ll finish up in Arizona before heading home to a massive showdown with the Braves.
Yeah, the Braves are hosting the white-hot Dodgers before that huge series, but everyone in the league is watching this NL East drama unfold. With that Phillies road trip out west, including a stop right here in Seattle, before they meet Atlanta, this division race is far from over. It’s going down to the wire, and we are absolutely here for it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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