Welcome to The Pregame Lineup, a weekday newsletter that gets you up to speed on everything you need to know, brought to you by David Adler. Today, it's Game 3 between the Phillies and Braves. Who's moving on, and who's going home?
Three Wild Card Series down, one to go.
We're T-minus four hours from the Phillies and Braves facing off in the winner-take-all Game 3 of their National League Wild Card matchup.
Three of the four Wild Card Series ended in a two-game sweep yesterday. In the American League, the White Sox knocked out the Astros and the Yankees eliminated the rival Red Sox. In the other NL Wild Card Series, the Padres took down the Cubs.
But now we've got some drama. Nothing beats a win-or-go-home playoff game.
Here's everything you need to know for Phillies-Braves tonight:
When and how to watch: The game starts at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
Pitching matchup: Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (7-12, 4.67 ERA, 177 K's) vs. Braves LHP Ray Kerr (0-0, 1.47 ERA, 11 K's)
Nola is the Phillies' senior staff member and a playoff veteran, having made 11 postseason starts for Philadelphia over the last four seasons. But Zack Wheeler, who started the Phils' must-win regular-season finale, could pitch out of the bullpen on short rest, as could Jesús Luzardo, who started Game 1 of this series.
The Braves are going with an opener -- specifically, a lefty opener to face Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper in the first inning. Grant Holmes is waiting to come in behind Kerr as the bulk guy. A bold strategy for a winner-take-all game.
How we got here: Austin Riley's clutch home run off Philadelphia closer Jhoan Duran won the Braves Game 1. But three dramatic home runs by the Phillies in Game 2 -- back-to-back blasts from Schwarber and Harper, then the game-winner by Alec Bohm in the 10th inning -- evened the series and forced tonight's winner-take-all Game 3.
Top Game 3 storylines:
1) Can the Phillies' big boppers do it again?
Schwarber and Harper's back-to-back, game-tying home runs in the eighth inning of Game 2 saved the Phillies' season … for now. Do the two stars of Philadelphia have a couple more clutch swings in them?
2) How will the Braves get 27 outs?
It's all-hands-on-deck for both teams, but the Braves especially look like they're going to mix and match their way to nine innings. And after a couple of their key relievers have faltered in the first two games -- Didier Fuentes and Dylan Lee -- who's going to get the big outs in Game 3?
3) Will Ronald Acuña Jr. have his moment?
The Phillies' big stars showed up in Game 2. Can the Braves' superstar do the same in Game 3? Acuña doesn't have a hit yet in the series -- but we've seen him come up big in the playoffs before.
See more on the top Game 3 storylines from Will Leitch here >>
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