Win or Go Home: Everything you need to know about Phillies vs. Braves Game 2

There’s no time to sit with Game 1. The Phillies had it, Austin Riley took it, and now they’re right back at Truist Park on Wednesday afternoon facing elimination. The Braves are one win away from the NLDS. The Phillies are one loss away from going home. Here’s everything you need to know.

First pitch is at 2 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Truist Park. The game is on NBC and Peacock. Spanish-language coverage is on Universo on TV and Univision Radio for audio, and ESPN Radio has the national radio broadcast.

Phillies Starter: Cristopher Sánchez:

If there’s one guy you want on the mound with the season on the line, it’s Sánchez. He was one of the best pitchers in baseball again this year, finishing second in the NL in strikeouts (231) and innings (207) and sixth in ERA (2.91). His changeup is the best single pitch in the sport right now. He struck out 122 hitters with it this season, which is 51 more than any other pitcher’s changeup. That’s not a gap, that’s a canyon.

Sanchie got us pic.twitter.com/LyxrhqrrjT

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 30, 2026

The concerns are real, though. Sánchez was unhittable at home, going 12-3 with a 2.23 ERA in 19 starts, but he was more ordinary on the road at 6-4 with a 3.87 ERA in 14 starts. He’s also 0-5 in nine career outings against the Braves, including eight starts.

That record is misleading. His ERA in those outings is a respectable 3.26, and over his last four starts against Atlanta across the past two seasons, it’s 2.19. Sánchez hasn’t been the problem against the Braves. The run support has. If the offense gives him anything to work with, he’s more than capable of carrying this team to Game 3.

Braves Starter: Tyler Mahle:

Tarik Skubal got every headline at the deadline, but Mahle turned out to be the most effective starter anyone added. He had a 5.13 ERA in 18 starts with the Giants before Atlanta got him, then posted a 1.28 ERA over his first eight starts as a Brave. His last regular-season start against the Reds knocked that number up to 1.99 after he gave up five earned runs in five innings.

He’s also been tough on the Phillies. In two September starts, he allowed just one earned run over 13 innings. I’m not going to pretend Mahle hasn’t been great in Atlanta, but this is still the same pitcher who spent most of the year getting hit around in San Francisco. The Phillies need to make him prove the last two months are real.

Phillies Lineup:

With a righty on the mound, Brandon Marsh and Justin Crawford are in for Bryan De La Cruz and Derek Hill. Stott also moves back up into the cleanup spot after hitting seventh against Chris Sale.

Here we go now pic.twitter.com/xE50zeo4Iv

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 30, 2026

1. Trea Turner, SS
2. Kyle Schwarber, DH
3. Bryce Harper, RF
4. Bryson Stott, 2B
5. Alec Bohm, 1B
6. Brandon Marsh, LF
7. Edmundo Sosa, 3B
8. Justin Crawford, CF
9. J.T. Realmuto, C

That’s the right lineup against a right-hander. Getting Marsh and Crawford’s lefty bats in there gives this order a lot more balance than it had Tuesday.

Braves Lineup:

Ronald Acuña Jr. is back at leadoff, and Drake Baldwin moves to DH and hits second after going 0-for-4 in Game 1.

1. Ronald Acuña Jr., RF
2. Drake Baldwin, DH
3. Ozzie Albies, 2B
4. Matt Olson, 1B
5. Mauricio Dubón, LF
6. Austin Riley, 3B
7. Michael Harris II, CF
8. Sean Murphy, C
9. Ha-Seong Kim, SS

This is still the biggest question the Phillies have, and Game 1 didn’t help answer it. Don Mattingly went to Alex McFarlane in the sixth, then turned to Jhoan Duran in the seventh with the idea that he’d handle the last three innings.

We all saw how that ended.

The problem is there aren’t many other places to go. If Duran’s pitch count had climbed and someone else needed to close it out, it would’ve been some mix of José Alvarado and Jonathan Bowlan, who hasn’t pitched since Sept. 17 because of a right groin injury.

Andrew Painter is an option out of the bullpen on Wednesday, and Zack Wheeler could become one if there’s a Game 3. The Phillies need Sánchez to go deep, because the less this bullpen has to cover, the better.

Atlanta is in much better shape. Didier Fuentes, Dylan Lee and Raisel Iglesias were the only relievers the Braves used in Game 1, and all three should be ready for high-leverage spots. Robert Suarez is available too, whether it’s protecting a lead or keeping it close late.

This comes down to Cristopher Sánchez.

The Phillies have their best left-hander on the mound, a better lineup against a righty and a pitcher on the other side who was a 5-plus ERA guy three months ago. Sánchez needs to go deep, the offense needs to get to Mahle early, and the Phillies need to force a Game 3. They’ve been in tougher spots against this team and come out on top.

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