With last night’s 7-2 win over the Phillies, the Braves are once again in second place in the NL East, and either they or the Phillies will be knocked into third when tonight’s game ends. The Braves’ playoff odds are still meager, still under 10 percent despite last night’s victory, but injury-depleted roster or not, they’re sallying forth anyway, the inexorable demands of the season schedule being what they are. Tonight, Atlanta will send Max Fried to the hill to face off against, and hope to avoid being destroyed by, familiar foe Zack Wheeler.
Let’s say it plainly: Wheeler has been a monster in 2021, including against the Braves.