ATLANTA — The Braves are not the Cardinals. If the uniforms didn’t give it away, just look at the matchups. There’s a reason the Phillies will enter Game 1 of the National League Division Series as heavy underdogs to reach their first National League Championship Series since that brutal loss to Cody Ross and the Giants in 2010.
It starts with pitching. And the pitching will start with Max Fried.
While the Cardinals were essentially forced to pick between four No. 3 starters when deciding who to match up against Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola in last weekend’s wild-card series, the Braves feature a trio of young arms who each has the makings of an ace. In Games 1 and 2, the Phillies will square off against Max Fried and Kyle Wright, who have combined to hold opponents under two runs in 38 of their 60 starts this season.
