The reigning NL Champion Philadelphia Phillies will take on the top-seeded Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of this NLDS on Saturday, October 7. The Phils had some ups and downs this year, but Citizens Bank Park remains a raucous place to play and they’re starting to look like the reigning NL champs. The Braves, meanwhile, had quite literally one of the best offenses the sport has ever seen, with two bonafide MVP candidates in Ronald Acuna Jr. and Matt Olson.
Ranger Suarez (4-6, 4.18 ERA) will get the start for Philly, while the Braves send ace Spencer Strider (20-5, 3.86) to the mound looking to erase the memory of last season’s disastrous NLDS outing against the Phils. The Braves enter as -205 favorites on the moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook, with Philly at +170. The run total is set at 7.5.
The Braves have released their lineup for today’s game, so let’s take a look at how they’ll line up against Suarez.
Braves starting lineup, NLDS Game 1, October 7
Game 1.#AsOneATL pic.twitter.com/Gp2gY5nAQb
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) October 7, 2023
The Braves are going full lefty-mashing mode here, moving Ozzie Albies and Marcell Ozuna up to fourth and fifth in the order while giving Kevin Pillar a start in left field. The struggling Sean Murphy will start behind the plate and bat eighth while Michael Harris II moves up to seventh.
