The Braves Won Three Series Straight and the Phillies Lost Three in a Row: Now They're About to Collide

The Atlanta Braves are hot. The Philadelphia Phillies are ice cold. And they're about to face off Friday night in a matchup that could tell us everything about where both teams really stand this early in the season.

Atlanta just wrapped up its third consecutive series win, taking down the Los Angeles Angels, Cleveland Guardians, and Miami Marlins over the last two weeks. Most recently, the Braves beat Miami twice, capping it off with a 6-3 victory Wednesday. They're the only team in the National League East with a winning record right now, and Braves manager Walt Weiss isn't shy about what he's seeing.

"When you start to win games and you start to win series, you start to believe," Weiss said. "It's just a really good vibe and the guys have a really good look in their eyes. They're playing that way."

Bryce Elder Is Dealing, and the Offense Is Clicking

Wednesday's win was a masterclass in what Atlanta can do when the pitching and power bats show up together. Bryce Elder threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings and lowered his ERA to a ridiculous 0.77. Meanwhile, Matt Olson, Austin Riley, and Ozzie Albies all went deep. Weiss called it simple: "It's good offense. Especially when we get everyone rolling, it's going to be a really good offense."

The Phillies Are Struggling Across the Board

Philadelphia, meanwhile, has lost three series in a row against San Francisco, Arizona, and Chicago. Wednesday's 11-2 beatdown by the Cubs was particularly brutal. Jesus Luzardo gave up nine runs (eight earned) on 12 hits in just 5 1/3 innings. Trea Turner and Bryce Harper both hit solo shots, and Adolis Garcia collected two hits, but it wasn't nearly enough.

The Phillies have already dropped three home series this season, which matches how many they lost at home all of last year. That's alarming, and Harper knows it. "Obviously, we want to win," Harper said. "You never want to lose games. Obviously, it's early in the season, but I don't like that notion because I like to win games in April as much as I like to win games in September."

Phillies manager Rob Thomson is preaching patience. "You've got to keep grinding," he said. "We're going through a tough time right now in all phases of the game. I don't think that's any secret, but we're going to get better."

The Pitching Matchup Friday: One Gun and One Wild Card

Atlanta will throw left-hander Martin Perez (0-1, 3.14 ERA), who had quite the roller coaster week. He was designated for assignment Sunday, but after clearing waivers and electing free agency, the Braves brought him right back. The 35-year-old gave up just one run and two hits in five innings against Cleveland on Saturday. He's been solid against Philly historically too, sitting 4-1 with a 3.78 ERA in 10 starts against the Phillies.

Philadelphia counters with Taijuan Walker (1-2, 7.36 ERA), and he's got a real problem: the first inning. Walker has coughed up nine first-inning runs across his three starts but only allowed four runs outside of the first frame. He's trying to figure it out. "I feel like after the first inning, everything is good, I get in a little groove," Walker said. "So, just got to figure out that first inning." Against Atlanta in his career, Walker is 3-2 with a 4.63 ERA in 10 starts.

This is the kind of series that matters early. Momentum is real in baseball, and the Braves are riding it while the Phillies are desperately searching for it. Friday night in Philadelphia is going to feel like a lot more than just another April game.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.