After taking two of three from the Kansas City Royals over the weekend, the Philadelphia Phillies have returned home to Citizens Bank Park, where they will begin a seven-game homestand by welcoming the Milwaukee Brewers to town.
While the 23-16 Phillies enter this series in control of the National League East, the 24-18 Brewers find themselves two games back of the Chicago Cubs in a crowded National League Central.
Given the expectation that the Washington Nationals and New York Mets will rebound from relatively slow starts and press the Phillies for the division lead, this is certainly a series that could ultimately have playoff implications, whether that means in each team’s respective division or the National League Wild Card race.
Christian Yelich, the reigning National League MVP, enters the series slashing .338/.449/.746 with 16 home runs and 47 RBIs. Aaron Nola will be the first Phillies pitcher tasked in this series with slowing down Yelich, along with Ryan Braun, who has historically killed the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Monday night’s Phillies-Brewers tilt:
Phillies Lineup
- Andrew McCutchen, left field
- Jean Segura, shortstop
- Bryce Harper, right field
- Rhys Hoskins, first base
- J.T. Realmuto, catcher
- Cesar Hernandez, second base
- Odubel Herrera, center field
- Maikel Franco, third base
- Aaron Nola, pitcher
Brewers Lineup
- Lorenzo Cain, center field
- Christian Yelich, right field
- Mike Moustakas, third base
- Yasmani Grandal, catcher
- Eric Thames, first base
- Travis Shaw, third base
- Orlando Arcia, shortstop
- Freddy Peralta, Brewers
- Ben Gamel, left fielder
Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Matchup
- Freddy Peralta (2-1, 6.75 ERA and 5.84 FIP) vs. Aaron Nola (3-0, 4.57 ERA and 4.81 FIP)
- Peralta, 22, has used his four-seam fastball, which has an average velocity of 92.9 mph, 78.9 percent of the time. He also mixes in a curve ball and a change-up.
- Nola has surrendered just three earned runs in his last three starts, which have spanned 19.1 innings.
Pregame Phillies Nuggets
- In 138 career at-bats at Citizens Bank Park, Ryan Braun has slashed .406/.455/.797 with 13 home runs and 41 RBIs.
- Odubel Herrera has 95 career at-bats against the Brewers. He’s homered six times and driven in 15 runs in those ABs.
- Christian Yelich has seven hits, including a home run, in 17 career at-bats against Nola.
Programming Information
- Citizens Bank Park
- 7:05 p.m. ET
- NBC Sports Philadelphia, ESPN
- SportsRadio 94 WIP
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