It’s mid-April. The NL East is not being decided this weekend. However, this is a very interesting time for the Braves to travel to Philadelphia to take on the Phillies.

Atlanta is 12-7 to begin the season, and thanks to awful starts by Philadelphia and New York, it currently has a three-game lead in the division. Phillies fans are already restless and unhappy. I can only imagine what the vibe of the city will be if Philadelphia loses this home series.

Let’s preview this long-standing rivalry and make a couple picks on the DraftKings Sportsbook for Friday’s tilt.

Braves vs. Phillies prediction, preview

In a series with this much star-power, it’s a little funny that tonight’s game will be started by Taijuan Walker and Martin Perez — not exactly a pair of NL Cy Young candidates. In the Braves’ defense, this is what happens when your IL is littered with names like Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow), Spencer Strider (oblique) and AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow). To Perez’s credit, the veteran southpaw has admirably survived his 14.1 innings of work in 2026, even registering a 3.14 ERA. However, “survive” is the key term here. Perez’s .190 opponent BABIP is shouldering a lot of weight at the moment, and when that starts to regress, the 35-year-old doesn’t possess the swing-and-miss stuff to help him work out of jams. Perez’s strikeout rate is only 11.3%. His swinging strike rate is a microscopic 7.2%. These are massive red flags in a matchup with a powerful Phillies’ lineup.

With all that said, it’s not like Philadelphia is any more confident in its starting pitcher on Friday. Walker is still only 33-years-old, but the once heralded prospect is no longer the man he was back in his days with the Mariners or the Diamondbacks. The RHP has lost a ton of zip on his fastball the past half-decade, and the direct result has been a parade of home runs for Walker’s opponents. Specific to 2026, Walker’s made three starts and thrown 14.2 innings. In that sample, he’s managed a 7.36 ERA, a 6.57 xERA, and he’s allowed 2.45 long balls per nine. Walker simply isn’t an MLB caliber starter anymore, and his days in that role are likely numbered, as Zack Wheeler (shoulder) seems very close to an activation off the IL. Possibly even next week.

Also working against Walker is this matchup. Atlanta has been fantastic in the batter’s box so far this season, with the club’s .353 wOBA ranking second-best in MLB and its 121 wRC+ ranking third. Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin are tied for the team lead with five home runs apiece, but it’s been the contributions of players such as Dominic Smith and Mauricio Dubon that’s really taken the Braves to a whole new plain of production. Smith is slashing .381/.400/.643 in his 45 plate appearances, while Dubon is hitting .333 with a 148 wRC+ in his 70 PAs. The scary part? Once Ronald Acuna Jr. sees his stat line start to reflect some of his expected numbers, this offensive might find an even higher level.

Braves vs. Phillies pick, best bet

Best Bet: Braves ML (-112)

While I’m not blown-away by Perez’s peripherals, I trust the LHP to suppress opponent hard contact more often than Walker. He’s the better pitcher at this point in this duo’s careers. Philly’s bats have also been stuck in the mud to start the season. The Phillies might have a hard time keeping up with the red-hot Braves on the scoreboard.

Strong Lean: Matt Olson 2+ Total Bases (+118)

14 of Olson’s 22 hits this season have gone for extra bases. He’s sporting a .320 ISO in his 84 plate appearances. Also, Walker has been getting destroyed by LHBs, as lefties have combined for .711 slugging percentage and a .479 wOBA off the RHP in 2026.