MLB Wildcard Race: Why The Braves Playoff Prayers are Up to The Phillies

The buzzword of September in MLB has been “choke."

The Red Sox are staving off a Tampa Bay Rays team playing average baseball…that’s how bad they’ve been.

Right there with them is the Atlanta Braves, who have a mere 1.5 game lead after sporting a 10-game cushion in the end of August. They have lost 13 of their last 20 and have seemingly nothing going right at the moment.

Their only hope to right the ship will be coming in the form of their main rival…the Philadelphia Phillies.

Atlanta travels up north to play the Washington Nationals in a weekend series before hosting Philly in the three-game series to wrap up the regular season.

The NL East champions have locked up every sort of home-field advantage they could possibly earn and have absolutely nothing to play for in the final week of the season.

It begs the question…will the Phillies rest their stars, or put the pedal to the metal to keep their rival out of the postseason?

Since two teams can’t play each other in the first round, if the Braves get in, the Phillies would play the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team they are 3-3 against this season. If the Cardinals sneak in, they will face the Phillies, knowing they are 6-3 against them this year.

Would the Philies tank to avoid the Cards?

A bigger question…can the Braves even beat a team trying to lose at this point?

Starting pitcher Derek Lowe lost his career-high 16th game on Wednesday night and his fourth in a row. Last year he was the guy the Braves counted on when they needed a win most.

St. Louis enters play on Thursday only 1.5 games behind the Braves—a far cry from August 25, when the Braves had a 10-game cushion to work with.

The Cardinals are 12-2 in their last 14 games, having won 19 of 25 and seem like they’re on a mission to make the playoffs one last time before franchise-legend Albert Pujols hits free agency.

Did I mention they play the Astros and Cubs down the stretch?

Everything is pointing in the Cardinals direction right now and the Braves have to up their .243 team batting average this month very quickly.

So what’s it gonna be, Philly?

Keep your rival out of the playoffs and give them the dubious distinction of having an epic collapse…or let them in and avoid one of the few teams to have your number this season.

All eyes will be at Turner Field next week dying to know Philadelphia’s ultimate decision.