Braves Enter Final Stretch With Commanding Lead Over Phillies

ATLANTA- The Atlanta Braves are 12 games away from the postseason, and despite dropping Sunday’s series finale to the Philadelphia Phillies, they remain firmly in control of the National League East.

Atlanta enters Monday with an 88-62 record and a five-game lead over Philadelphia, which sits at 83-67. The Braves also own the season-series tiebreaker after going 9-4 against the Phillies, giving them effectively a six-game advantage if the teams were to finish tied. 

That margin became even more important after Atlanta took two of three from Philadelphia at Truist Park over the weekend.

The Braves opened the series with one of their biggest wins of the season. After trailing late, Atlanta rallied for a 6-5 victory in 11 innings, with Ha-Seong Kim tying the game before Drake Baldwin delivered the walk-off RBI double. Manager Walt Weiss called the game “one for the ages,” highlighting the resilience Atlanta has shown throughout the season. 

Atlanta followed that dramatic victory with an emphatic 12-2 win on Saturday. Michael Harris II went 4-for-5 with his 25th home run and three RBIs, while Ronald Acuña Jr. went 3-for-3 with a homer, two RBIs and two runs scored. The Braves broke the game open with an eight-run fourth inning, while Tyler Mahle allowed just one run over seven innings. 

Sunday’s finale was a different story. Atlanta carried a 2-2 tie into the eighth inning before Philadelphia erupted for seven runs, eventually winning 9-4. Matt Olson still collected three hits and hit his 39th homer of the season, but the Braves could not complete the sweep. 

Even with the loss, the bigger picture remains overwhelmingly positive.

The Braves’ magic number to clinch the division is seven, meaning Atlanta has a significant cushion with only 12 games remaining. Their recent success against Philadelphia has also provided confidence that this team can handle postseason-caliber competition.

Weiss has repeatedly emphasized the importance of players stepping up in big moments. Following Friday’s win, he praised Kim’s perseverance after the veteran had endured a difficult season.

“All the stuff he’s been through, then you fast forward into later in the season, and he has two of the biggest hits of our season,” Weiss said. “You love when guys persevere and the game rewards them for it.” 

With 12 games left, the Braves are no longer simply trying to reach October. They are positioning themselves for it.