Braves fans watch a game from the stands at Truist Park. — Braves fans pack Truist Park during a game at the ballpark where Atlanta will host Philadelphia in the Wild Card Series.

The Atlanta Braves will open the postseason against a familiar rival, hosting the Philadelphia Phillies in a best-of-three National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park.

The series begins Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 2 p.m. Every scheduled game has the same afternoon start time, with the winner advancing to the National League Division Series.

Wild Card Series schedule

Game 1 begins at 2 p.m. Tuesday and will air on NBC and Peacock.

Game 2 follows at 2 p.m. Wednesday. If neither team sweeps the first two games, a deciding Game 3 will begin at 2 p.m. Thursday.

All three games would be played at Truist Park, giving Atlanta home-field advantage throughout the opening round. The complete Braves postseason schedule also places the start of the Division Series on Saturday.

Aerial view of a baseball field at Truist Park with the infield and stands visible. — Atlanta will have home-field advantage at Truist Park for all three games of the Wild Card Series.

Chris Sale gets Game 1

Chris Sale will start the opener after completing one of the strongest seasons by a Braves pitcher in recent years.

The veteran left-hander finished with a 2.16 earned-run average, third-best in Major League Baseball. He was particularly effective against Philadelphia, allowing a 2.08 ERA over four starts and 26 innings.

Sale has not pitched in the postseason since 2021, and his career playoff numbers are mixed. He owns a 7.24 ERA in seven postseason starts and failed to complete five innings in four of them. His most memorable October appearance came in relief when he recorded the final three outs of Boston’s 2018 World Series victory.

Tyler Mahle is expected to start Game 2. Atlanta could use Grant Holmes in a potential third game, either as the starter or after a short appearance by an opener.

Atlanta enters with a thinner rotation

The short series places additional pressure on Sale and Mahle because the Braves enter the postseason with only three healthy experienced starters.

Bryce Elder underwent knee surgery, while Reynaldo López and Martín Pérez are unavailable because of shoulder and back problems. They could become options in a later round but are not expected to pitch against Philadelphia.

Atlanta’s bullpen received a late boost from Robert Suarez, who returned for two appearances after being limited by an elbow problem. If healthy, he joins Raisel Iglesias, Dylan Lee and Didier Fuentes among the Braves’ primary late-inning options.

Acuña enters October on a strong run

Ronald Acuña Jr. produced a 1.377 on-base-plus-slugging percentage during seven September games against Philadelphia, giving Atlanta its clearest recent offensive advantage in the matchup.

Drake Baldwin, Mauricio Dubón and Michael Harris II also finished the regular season well. Baldwin and Dubón could play especially important roles as the Braves adjust to the expected absence of outfielder Lane Thomas, who is recovering from a strained muscle near his ribs.

Philadelphia has not named its Game 1 starter. Rookie Andrew Painter, Jesús Luzardo and Aaron Nola are among the available options after Zack Wheeler pitched Sunday to help the Phillies secure their postseason place.

The Phillies bring additional uncertainty into Tuesday’s opener after struggling offensively throughout September. They finished the month near the bottom of Major League Baseball in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base-plus-slugging percentage and runs per game.

Another chapter in a difficult playoff rivalry

This will be the third postseason meeting between Atlanta and Philadelphia in five years.

The Phillies eliminated the Braves from the Division Series in both 2022 and 2023, despite Atlanta winning more than 100 regular-season games each year. Philadelphia has won the teams’ past three playoff series, including the 1993 National League Championship Series.

Atlanta secured its seventh division title in nine seasons this year, completing a sharp turnaround after missing the 2025 playoffs. Advancing will require two victories in three days against the opponent that has repeatedly ended recent Braves seasons.