The Atlanta Braves will host the Philadelphia Phillies in a decisive Game Three of the National League Wild Card series tonight (Thursday, October 1). The winner will advance to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series (NLDS). The Braves won Game One, but the Phillies rallied to win Game Two on Wednesday (September 30), setting the stage for this winner-take-all contest.
The game will start at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock. Spanish language coverage will be available on Universo and Univision Radio, while ESPN Radio will provide live national coverage of all 2026 MLB postseason games.
The Phillies’ starting pitcher remains undecided, with options including Aaron Nola and ace Zack Wheeler. Meanwhile, the Braves may rely on Grant Holmes to handle the bulk of the innings, though they have not confirmed if he will start or follow an opener. Left-handers Ray Kerr or Brent Suter are potential openers.
Both teams have key players to watch. For the Phillies, Alec Bohm hit a game-winning homer in Game Two, while Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber hit back-to-back homers in the eighth inning to tie the game. On the Braves’ side, Michael Harris II and Mauricio Dubón have been performing well at the plate.
The Phillies have a history of postseason success against the Braves, having defeated them in previous playoff series, including the 1993 NLCS and the 2022 and 2023 NLDS. The outcome of tonight’s game will determine who advances to face the Dodgers in the next round.