The 2026 MLB playoffs get underway Tuesday with an NL East rivalry kicking things off between the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies, with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. ET at Truist Park. It’s a best-of-three National League Wild Card Series with a spot in the NLDS on the line to face the defending back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Braves missed the playoffs in 2025, snapping a streak of seven consecutive postseason appearances that included a World Series championship in 2021, but are back on top as NL East champions following a 94-68 season. Atlanta doesn’t necessarily enter the Wild Card Series in top-notch form, having lost back-to-back series against Cincinnati and Miami to close out the regular season, but the Braves have the benefit of playing at Truist Park, where they owned one of the best home records in MLB this season.
The Phillies enter in even worse form after just barely making it into the playoffs at all. Philadelphia posted a subpar 10-14 record in September, which allowed Arizona to claw its way back into the playoff picture, and it took until the final day of the regular season in Game 162 this past Sunday to clinch a playoff spot for the fifth consecutive season with a 7-3 win over Tampa Bay.
The Braves and Phillies are obviously no strangers to one another. Atlanta held a 9-4 edge in the season series this year, but it’s also worth mentioning their previous playoff meetings. The No. 6-seeded Phillies took down the No. 2-seeded Braves in the NLDS in 2022 en route to a World Series appearance for Philadelphia, and then the No. 4-seeded Phillies beat the top-seeded Braves the following year, again in the NLDS, in 2023.
Jesús Luzardo will look to potentially lead another upset against his division rivals as the All-Star left-hander is scheduled to start Game 1 Tuesday afternoon for the Phillies as an opener in a game in which rookie right-hander Andrew Painter is expected to come out of the bullpen after him.
Luzardo was just activated off the injured list after dealing with left shoulder inflammation and was used as a reliever out of the bullpen in his first appearance back, tossing a scoreless, four-pitch eighth inning to help the Phillies clinch in their win against Tampa Bay on Sunday.
The Braves are set to hand the ball to All-Star left-hander and 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale. The veteran continues to defy Father Time as the 37-year-old finished another stellar regular season in which he posted a 14-9 record, 2.16 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 200 strikeouts across 27 starts.
Find Phillies vs. Braves predictions, picks, and more below for Game 1 of Tuesday’s NL Wild Card Series at Truist Park.
Phillies vs. Braves Odds for Game 1
The Braves are listed as home favorites at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook for Game 1:
- Moneyline: Braves -195, Phillies +160
- Run Line: Braves -1.5 (+125), Phillies +1.5 (-145)
- Total (Runs): Over 6.5 (-120), Under 6.5 (+100)
Phillies vs. Braves Wild Card Series Winner Odds
Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook also offers odds on which team will win the best-of-three Wild Card Series and advance to the NLDS:
- Braves to Win NL Wild Card Series: -135
- Phillies to Win NL Wild Card Series: +115
Phillies vs. Braves Predictions
The regular season was fun and all, but now the real deal starts as 12 teams begin their quest for a World Series championship. Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook’s Stats Hub had you covered with baseball betting insights and trends throughout the 162-game regular season, and it still offers those for the playoffs, so make sure to use it to your advantage when placing wagers such as our Phillies vs. Braves prediction below for Game 1:
Braves vs. Phillies Best Bet: Jesús Luzardo Over 3.5 Strikeouts (+105)
Jesús Luzardo is one of baseball’s elite strikeout pitchers, having finished the 2026 regular season with a career-high 221 strikeouts, which were good for the fifth-most in MLB. It might seem crazy that a pitcher like that has a strikeout line set at 3.5, but that’s because he’s not expected to pitch deep into Tuesday’s game.
As mentioned above, Luzardo was recently activated off the IL after dealing with an issue with his throwing shoulder and made an appearance out of the bullpen just two days ago after not having pitched in a game for 20 days prior to that. He threw only four pitches in that bullpen appearance, but with him missing nearly three weeks of action, the Phillies aren’t relying on Luzardo to go as deep into the game as he normally would.
Even with the potentially limited workload, Luzardo can still easily record four or more strikeouts, especially with the adrenaline that comes with pitching in a playoff game. The southpaw tossed a complete-game shutout with 12 strikeouts against this Atlanta offense in his start on Sept. 7 before landing on the IL.
Luzardo recorded four or more strikeouts in 27 of his 30 appearances during the regular season this year.
- Braves vs. Phillies Player Prop Pick for NL Wild Card Game 1: Jesús Luzardo Over 3.5 Strikeouts (+105)
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Props for PHI-ATL
Ronald Acuña Jr. finished the regular season strong, posting a .307 batting average in September, and he also had plenty of success against the Phillies in 2026, hitting .380 with a 1.147 OPS against his division rivals. The Braves right fielder’s hit prop is the most-bet player prop heading into first pitch:
- Ronald Acuña Jr. – Over 0.5 Hits
- Michael Harris II – Over 0.5 Hits
- Kyle Schwarber – Over 0.5 Home Runs
- Bryce Harper – Over 0.5 Hits
- Jesús Luzardo – Over 2.5 Strikeouts
Phillies vs. Braves Betting Splits for Game 1
Here’s how the action is trending at Hard Rock Bet for Game 1 at Truist Park:
- The Braves are attracting more moneyline support with 71.41% of tickets and 76.68% of the money.
- Although the run line action is a little more even, Atlanta is still drawing more support with 60.01% of tickets and 61.04% of the money.
- The total is generating more action on the Over with 62.58% of tickets, but the Under accounts for 63.71% of the money.
Phillies vs. Braves Game Info
- 📍 Where: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
- 📅 Date: Tuesday, Sept. 29
- ⏰ First Pitch: 2:00 PM ET
- 📺💻 TV/Streaming: NBC
- ⚾ Probable Pitchers:
- Phillies: Jesús Luzardo
- Braves: Chris Sale
- 🏆 Stage: NL Wild Card Series – Game 1
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Referenced odds are subject to change.
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