The National League Wild Card series between the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves has been an absolute grinder, with each team grabbing a game thanks to clutch, late-inning home runs. Now, tonight’s Game 3 is here, a winner-take-all showdown at 8:00 p.m. ET, and the Braves made a somewhat shocking pitching decision: they’re rolling with lefty long reliever Ray Kerr to start the game over their tough right-hander Grant Holmes. This is it, folks, the winner punches their ticket to the NLDS against those high-powered Los Angeles Dodgers starting Saturday afternoon.
Ray Kerr Is Back, And He’s Dominating
So, who is Ray Kerr? This 32-year-old lefty is a fascinating choice for a winner-take-all playoff game, especially considering his journey. Kerr only recently returned to a big league mound on August 17, after being sidelined for a whole 26 months following Tommy John surgery. That’s a brutal amount of time away from the game. But since his return? The dude has been straight-up lights out. Across nine appearances and 18 ⅓ innings pitched, Kerr boasts a fantastic 1.47 ERA and a ridiculously low 0.60 WHIP. He’s punched out 11 batters and walked only two. That’s not just “effective,” that’s dominant.
What makes this call even more intense for the Phillies is Kerr’s recent history against them. In two September appearances against Philadelphia, he totally shut them down. We’re talking 6 ⅓ innings of scoreless baseball, five strikeouts, and not a single walk. The Braves clearly saw that and decided to bank on that absolute mastery for tonight. You can’t argue with results like that when your season is on the line.
The Game Plan: Kitchen Sink Time
Braves manager Walt Weiss and the coaching staff obviously have a strategy here, and it makes sense when you look at Kerr’s numbers against the Phils. The plan is for Kerr to go through the Phillies’ lineup the first time around, essentially neutralizing their early bats. After that, Grant Holmes will likely take over from the bullpen. Holmes has also had success against the Phillies recently, throwing 10 innings and allowing just two runs during September. If Holmes can eat up five or six innings after Kerr’s opener, the Braves are going to be in a fantastic position to send Philadelphia packing.
And because it’s the postseason, a winner-take-all game, anything goes. Don’t be surprised if you see ace lefty Chris Sale out of the bullpen later in the game. He threw 95 pitches on Tuesday, so he’s had a day of rest and could absolutely be available for some high-leverage situations.
It’s All On The Line For Game 3
On the other side, the Phillies are bringing their own firepower. Right-hander Aaron Nola is their announced Game 3 starter, and you know they’ll have their likely ace righty Zack Wheeler ready to go after him. Both teams are going to be throwing absolutely everything they’ve got at each other in Game 3. This isn’t just about winning a game; it’s about extending your season and getting a shot at the Dodgers. Tonight is pure, unfiltered playoff baseball, and you better believe it’s going to be epic.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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