A high-profile NL East matchup takes place Saturday night as the Philadelphia Phillies visit the Atlanta Braves.

These teams have gotten off to very different starts to the season. The Braves lead MLB with a 19-8 record, while the Phillies have slipped to the worst record in baseball at 8-18. Atlanta won the series opener, 5-3, and has already taken its first four matchups of the season with Philadelphia heading into Saturday’s contest.

The Braves are 1.5-run favorites with -136 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Phillies sit as +113 underdogs, with the total set at O/U 8.5 runs.

Phillies vs. Braves prediction, preview

It has been a nightmare start to the season for the Philadelphia Phillies. They enter this matchup on a 10-game losing streak, which has dropped them to the worst record in baseball. Philadelphia entered the season with legitimate World Series aspirations, but it has not been good enough in any facet of the game to this point. On the season, the club is just 4-22 against the run line, with a 13-12-1 mark toward the run total.

Veteran right-hander Zack Wheeler is tabbed for his first start of 2026. The three-time All-Star was in the midst of a Cy Young-level campaign last year until a serious blood clot issue ended his season. Wheeler made five rehab starts, which were largely successful. However, the velocity on his four-seamer was noticeably down — sitting at just 92.9 mph compared to 96.1 mph in 2025.

While there’s a clear case that even a diminished version of Wheeler is an upgrade over the recently released Taijuan Walker and his 9.13 ERA, this does not change Philadelphia’s outlook at the plate. As a team, the Phillies are slashing just .221/.298/.365 with a .663 OPS. They rank 29th in batting average, 27th in OPS, and 27th in total runs. While Philadelphia still boasts superstars Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Trea Turner — along with an injection of new talent — the club is spiraling with no clear end in sight.

Derailed by injuries last season, the Braves missed the playoffs with a 76-86 record. They have returned this season with new energy, getting off to a 19-8 start in 2026. Atlanta has won nine of its last 10 games, including a three-game sweep of the Phillies in Philadelphia. The Braves have gone 18-9 against the run line with a 12-13-2 mark toward the run total.

Right-hander Bryce Elder will make his sixth start of the season on Saturday. He has posted an NL-best 1.50 ERA, along with 29 strikeouts, across his first 30 innings of work. Elder allowed a season-high three earned runs in his previous start against the Nationals, but he has already posted three scoreless starts this year. The 26-year-old has faced off with this Phillies roster in 65 total at-bats, allowing 17 hits and a .262/.377/.385 slash line.

The Braves have been incredible at the plate so far, slashing .274/.341/.453 with a .794 OPS. Drake Baldwin headlines the effort with a .304 average, an NL-leading 34 hits, and an MLB-leading 27 runs scored. Matt Olson joins him to tie for a team-high seven home runs, and the pair have combined for 45 RBIs. Ozzie Albies has also added 32 hits and 15 RBIs. Even with Ronald Acuna Jr. off to a slow start, Atlanta ranks third in homers and second in OPS, while leading MLB in runs scored.

Phillies vs. Braves pick, best bet

These clubs are trending in opposite directions, and that should remain the case Saturday night. The Phillies are better than they’ve shown in 2026, but they have yet to inspire hope of a turnaround. They were held to just three runs across the three-game sweep from the Braves last week.

While Wheeler is one of the best pitchers in baseball, he likely can’t provide the full spark that the team desperately needs. This will be his first MLB start since last August — facing arguably the hottest lineup in the sport.

Atlanta is already 4-0 against the Phillies this season, including a comeback, 5-3, victory on Friday. Expect the gap between these teams to remain on display Saturday night, with the Braves comfortably covering the 1.5-run line.

Best bet: Braves -1.5 (+153)

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