Braves Rumors: Atlanta plays up mystery around Game 3 starter

The heroics of Austin Riley and Michael Harris II saved the Atlanta Braves from almost certain death in Game 2 of the NLDS, much to the pleasure of the hometown crowd. Now the Braves hit the road for Game 3 in Philadelphia, a hostile environment that ESPN's Jeff Passan called the "SEC stadium" of baseball.

Atlanta felt the wrath of Philly fans last postseason and that series ended poorly. It's difficult to win on the road, and it's extremely difficult to win on the road in Philadelphia in the postseason, unless you're the Boston Celtics. The Braves have the talent to overcome long odds, but one key area of weakness could sink the ship.

With Charlie Morton out due to a finger injury and Kyle Wright sidelined through the 2024 season, Atlanta's third starter is a major enigma at the moment. There's Bryce Elder, who made the All-Star team this season, but he has struggled mightily in recent months. There's A.J. Smith-Shawver. He has some juice but he's 20 years old, so the lights might be a tad bright. Or, the Braves could lean on the bullpen. The options are plentiful, but none stand out as particularly desirable.

The Braves, for their part, are not releasing their Game 3 starter. Brian Snitker told reporters discussions are "ongoing," with ace Spencer Strider not available until Game 4.

Meanwhile, the Phillies are expected to have Aaron Nola back on the mound with a loud crowd at his back. It's safe to say the Braves are facing a major disadvantage in the pitching department. That said, a Game 3 win for Atlanta — will so many odds stacked in Philly's favor — could break the Phillies' spirit.

Braves Rumors: Orlando Arcia makes bold decision to poke the bear

The Braves won Game 2 after Bryce Harper got caught in no-man's land following a miraculous catch at the right-centerfield wall by Michael Harris. Harper had already rounded second when he realized he needed to tag back at first. One impressive Austin Riley scoop-and-throw later, Harper was out and the game was over on a double play.

It's only natural for the Braves to be excited by this outcome. A loss would have essentially ended their season; a win keeps the door wide open for another Atlanta World Series run. There is a fine line between celebrating a victory and handing over free ammunition to the opponent, however. Orlando Arcia may have crossed that line.

After the game, Arcia was quoted as saying "ha ha, atta-boy Harper" in the locker room. That is both the funniest sports quote in recent memory and free motivation for Harper and a Phillies team with a well-documented underdog complex. Philadelphia feeds on being counted out and that fanbase gets riled up at the slightest hint of disrespect.

It's safe to say disrespect has been hinted.

Bryce Harper is nothing if not clutch. He has made countless major plays on the biggest stages — some of them against the Braves. So, maybe Arcia should have kept those comments further away from microphones and the prying ears of reporters. You know damn well Harper, who listens to Philly sports radio on his drive to the ballpark, will hear those comments and feel a certain way about them.

Braves Rumors: Philly atmosphere doesn't scare Braves, allegedly

The Atlanta Braves have felt the full force of Philadelphia's fandom before. It's not a wholly new experience, at least not for the team's veterans. That said, it's hard to imagine one gets used to the singular atmosphere in Citizens Bank Park. That fanbase is rabid, especially when the team has as much competitive fire and postseason DNA as this Phils group.

Set aside the fact that Atlanta is about to start a struggling Elder, a rookie, or a reliever — the Braves face an uphill battle across the board with how loud that stadium will get. Especially with a pitcher of Aaron Nola's caliber on the mound.

The Braves, however, are downplaying the intimidation factor. Braves reliever Kirby Yates, who made his postseason debut on Monday, spoke highly of the Phillies crowd but expressed excitement, not fear.

"I don't think anybody's really seen that crowd like that. I wasn't on the team, but I was there. It was a little different. But truthfully, in my eyes, that's kind of the way you want every road crowd. It makes playoffs feel different, and that's something that makes it fun, something that makes it enjoyable... I don't think it should be easy to go to somebody else's place and come away with a game. Same way the opposing team shouldn't come in here and have it easy. They should kind of feel the same way, and I think they do. Both teams have really good home crowds."

That's the right attitude and he's right about the Braves crowd, to a certain degree. Atlanta has been rockin' the Battery during these last six years of contention, but even the most invested Truist Park crowd doesn't begin to approach Red October. Philadelphia fans are built different, as the kids say, but the Braves won't admit fear.

We will see on Wednesday how well Atlanta handles the energy of CBP. There's a huge difference between talking about it and playing against it.