Some Southern Comfort Food for Phillies Fans Before the NLDS

The South is famous for some of the best “comfort food” you will find in America. The Philadelphia Phillies wander into the heart of it all in Atlanta for the first two games of the NLDS against the Braves. I’ve got a few nuggets better than Southern cooking that will give Phillies fans good vibes heading into the series.

Did you know that home field advantage has meant very little in the National League postseason for years now? In fact, over the last four postseasons, the top two teams have been eliminated in the NLDS three times!

Last season, the Wild Card winners were road teams. Then, the Phillies and the Padres upset the Braves and Dodgers to advance to the NLCS. The Phillies did win a Wild Card series this season while the Diamondbacks upset the Brewers. So we know our team can win on the road.

The Phillies have now won Game 1 of a playoff series four times on the road and now one time at home for a run of five straight series in just the last two seasons! They have veteran poise and swagger on their side, but beating Spencer Strider is going to be a huge mountain to climb. Can they make it six?

It’s a very small sample size, but the Phillies are 2-0 all-time in the postseason versus a franchise known more for not delivering under pressure to match up to their sparkling regular-season numbers.

In the 1993 NLCS and the 2022 NLDS, the Phillies were huge underdogs and sent the Chop to the golf course. Look here! The 2023 Phillies are the biggest betting underdog this time around too. Can they extend it to 3-0? They also won the regular season series in Truist Park (4-3).

For Phillies fans traveling to see the series, the Battery is unmatched in MLB for pregame dining and drinking options in a condensed area. I’d suggest you hit up FOX BROS BBQ to carb up before rolling into the TERRAPIN TAPROOM for a great pregame or postgame atmosphere.

Bring some budget money and hit up BASEBALLISM. They have great baseball-related clothing and gear that is not team-specific. Alert: Uber to The Battery or pre-pay for parking. Get there early and enjoy the complex. You will thank me later!

Watch The John Kincade Show live on the 97.5 The Fanatic YouTube page on weekday mornings from 6am-10am.

The Phillies are back in the NLDS. After beating the Marlins in the Wild Card Round, they are moving on to face the Braves. This exact matchup went very well for the Phillies last year. It started with them winning game 1 in Atlanta. Then they got to Spencer Strider in game 3, with an unforgettable bat spike by Rhys Hoskins. And closed it out in game 4 with another HR Derby, including an inside-the-parker by JT Realmuto. But both teams look a bit different than last year, even if the core for each side still looks the same. And there are lots of new faces on the 26-man Roster this time around.

Game 1- Saturday- Oct 7th- TBD In Atlanta

Game 2- Monday- Oct 9th- TBD- In Atlanta

Game 3- Wednesday- Oct 11th- TBD- In Philly

Game 4 (if needed)- Thursday- Oct 12- TBD- In Philly

Game 5-(if needed)- Saturday- Oct 14th- TBD- In Atlanta

In the Wild Card Series, the Phillies elected to keep fewer pitchers, to add another righty, Weston Wilson, onto the 26-man roster. Mostly because the Marlins are capable of throwing a lot of tough lefty pitchers at you. The Braves do have Max Fried, but their rotation and bullpen are more righty-heavy than the Marlins are. So the approach in constructing the 26-man roster for the NLDS is a bit different. It starts with Weston Wilson being less likely to be there for this series.

So who will make it? And how have each of those guys performed this season? Here are the 26 guys who will be on the roster for the series against the Braves. Along with each of their season stats, and their stats vs. the Braves this year.

Season Stats

.252/.310/.452/.762

20 HRs, 28 2Bs, 5 3Bs, 63 RBIs, 70 Runs, 16 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.194/.250/.333/.583

1 HR, 2 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 2RBIs, 4 Runs, 0 SBs

Season Stats

.293/.401/.499/.900

21 HRs, 29 2Bs, 1 3B, 72 RBIs, 84 Runs, 11 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.244/.397/.578/.974

5 HRs, 0 2B, 0 3B, 9 RBIs, 10 Runs, 1 SB

Season Stats

.280/.329/.419/.747

15 HRs, 32 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 62 RBIs, 78 Runs, 31 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.220/.273/.380/.653

1 HR, 5 2Bs, 0 3B, 8 RBIs, 5 Runs, 4 SBs

Season Stats

.266/.320/.459/.778

26 HRs, 35 2Bs, 5 3Bs, 76 RBIs, 102 Runs, 30 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.204/.272/.370/.642

2 HRs, 3 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 7 RBIs, 7 Runs, 4 SBs

Season Stats

.274/.327/.437/.765

20 HRs, 31 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 97 RBIs, 74 Runs, 4 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.262/.319/.381/.700

1 HR, 2 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 7 RBIs, 1 Run, 0 SB

Season Stats

.277/.372/.458/.829

12 HRs, 25 2Bs, 6 3Bs, 60 RBIs, 58 Runs, 10 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.286/.362/.452/.814

2 HRs, 1 2B. 0 3B, 5 RBIs, 7 Runs, 1 SB

Season Stats

.302/.342/.430/.771

2 HRs, 9 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 23 RBIs, 24 Runs, 14 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.286/.333/.571/.905

1 HR, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 RBIs, 4 Runs, 2 SBs

Season Stats

.272/.311/.476/.788

29 HRs, 37 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 106 RBIs, 79 Runs, 11 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.294/.345/.608/.953

4 HRs, 2 2Bs, 1 3B, 9 RBIs, 8 Runs, 0 SBs

Season Stats

.197/.343/.474/.817

47 HRs, 19 2Bs, 1 3B, 104 RBIs, 108 Runs, 0 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.184/.344/.327/.671

2 HRs, 1 2B, 0 3B, 5 RBIs, 8 Runs, 0 SB

Season Stats

.251/.293/.427/.719

10 HRs, 15 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 30 RBIs, 34 Runs, 4 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.154/.154/.231/.385

0 HRs, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 RBIs, 1 Run, 0 SBs

Season Stats

.238/.319/.417/.736

2 HRs, 7 2Bs, 1 3B, 11 RBIs, 12 Runs, 2 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.000/.143/.000/.143

0 HRs, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 RBIs, 0 Runs, 0 SBs

Season Stats

.238/.319/.417/.736

2 HRs, 7 2Bs, 1 3B, 11 RBIs, 12 Runs, 2 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.000/.143/.000/.143

0 HRs, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 RBIs, 0 Runs, 0 SBs

Season Stats

.204/.274/.283/.557

1 HR, 4 2Bs, 1 3B, 12 RBIs, 15 Runs, 2 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.000/.000/.000/.000

0 HRs, 0 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 0 RBIs, 0 Runs, 0 SB

Season Stats

3.61 ERA, 13-6, 212 Ks, 192 IPs, 1,08 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

3.32 ERA, 2-0, 21 Ks, 19 IPs, 1.00 WHIP

Season Stats 

4.46 ERA, 12-9, 202 Ks, 193.2 IPs, 1.15 WHIP 

Stats vs Braves 

3.50 ERA, 0-0, 20 Ks, 18 IPs, 1.11 WHIP 

Season Stats

4.18 ERA, 4-6, 119 Ks, 125 IPs, 1.42 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

1.5 ERA, 0-0, 7 Ks, 6 IPs, 1.00 WHIP

Season Stats

4.38 ERA, 15-6, 138 Ks, 172.2 IPs, 1.31 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

6.00 ERA, 1-0, 6Ks, 12 IPs, 1.67 WHIP

Season Stats

3.44 ERA, 3-5, 96 Ks, 99.1 IPs, 1.05 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

5.56 ERA, 0-2, 12 Ks, 11.1 IPs, 1.94 WHIP

Season Stats

4.18 ERA, 9-9, 111 Ks, 153 IPs, 1.21 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

11.12 ERA, 1-1, 6 Ks, 11.1 IPs, 2.12 WHIP

Season Stats

3.26 ERA, 23 Saves, 94 Ks, 69 IPs, 1.04 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

1.50 ERA, 3 Saves, 7 Ks, 6 IPs, 0.83 WHIP

Season Stats

1.74 ERA, 10 Saves, 64 Ks, 41.1 IPs, 1.16 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

2.25 ERA, 0 Saves, 5Ks, 4 IPS, 1.25 WHIP

Season Stats

4.62 ERA, 3 Saves, 65Ks, 60.1 IPs, 1.14 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

8.31 ERA*, 0 Saves, 6 Ks, 4.1 Innings, 1.84 WHIP

*Most of that 8.31 came off one bad out in May, Soto has given up 1 run over his last 3 outings vs the Braves*

Season Stats

2.41 ERA, 1 Save, 69 Ks, 52.1 IPs, 0.92 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

7.2 ERA, 0 Saves, 5 Ks, 5 IPs, 1.80 WHIP

Season Stats

3.29 ERA, 2 Saves, 108 Ks, 87.2 IPs, 1.02 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

1.69 ERA, 1 Save, 3 Ks, 5.1 IPs, 0.94 WHIP

Season Stats

3.78 ERA, 2 Saves, 48 Ks, 50 Ks, 50 IPs, 1.40 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

0.00 ERA, 0 Saves, 3Ks, 3.2 IPs, 0.30 WHIP

Season Stats

0.00 ERA, 0 Saves, 6 Ks, 3.0 IPs, 1.33 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

Has Not Faced the Braves