The road to the World Series begins Tuesday afternoon for the Atlanta Braves as they open the 2026 postseason at home against a familiar rival.
Atlanta welcomes the Philadelphia Phillies to Truist Park for Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series, with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. The Braves finished the regular season 94-68, while Philadelphia earned the final NL Wild Card spot with an 88-74 record.
The best-of-three series renews one of the National League’s biggest postseason rivalries. Philadelphia eliminated Atlanta from the playoffs in both 2022 and 2023, but the Braves won nine of their 13 meetings against the Phillies during the 2026 regular season.
Atlanta will send veteran left-hander Chris Sale to the mound for Game 1. Sale finished the regular season 14-9 with a 2.16 ERA and posted a 2.08 ERA in four starts against Philadelphia this year. The Phillies will counter with left-hander Jesús Luzardo.
With the Wild Card round being a best-of-three series, the winner of Tuesday’s opener will immediately move within one victory of advancing to the National League Division Series.
Braves postseason baseball begins Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m. as Atlanta hosts Philadelphia in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series.
Coverage begins with a 1 p.m. airtime Tuesday on WFLI The Big One, 96.1 FM, 100.3 FM and 1070 AM, ahead of the 2 p.m. first pitch between the Braves and Phillies.