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Braves-Phillies Opening Day pitching matchup set

PHILADELPHIA, PA – JULY 26: Atlanta Braves Pitcher Spencer Strider (65) delivers a pitch during the first inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies on July 26,2022, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)

The “STRIDER!” chants from Philadelphia Phillies fans that have become so prevalent at Citizens Bank Park the last two postseasons will start on March 28 this season.

Spencer Strider will be the Opening Day starter against the Phillies on March 28 at 3:05 p.m. ET, the Atlanta Braves announced Tuesday. Strider will face off with Zack Wheeler, with both getting the ball on Opening Day for the first time in their respective careers. As Robert Orr of Baseball Prospectus pointed out, there’s a chance that Strider and Wheeler, in whatever order, are the two best starters in the sport right now with reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole currently injured.

Over the last two seasons, Strider has emerged as perhaps the most electric starting pitcher in baseball, going 31-10 with a 3.36 ERA and league-leading 483 strikeouts. Strider finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2022, and fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting in 2023.

However, Strider’s first three playoff starts have all come against the Phillies, and he hasn’t fared well. The Braves are 0-3 when Strider has been on the mound in the playoffs the last two years, and he’s posted a 5.40 ERA. Two of those three starts — Game 3 of the 2022 NLDS and Game 4 of the 2023 NLDS — have come at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies are actually 0-2 in playoff starts, Wheeler — a native of Smyrna, Georgia — has made against the Braves the last two years. However, Wheeler had a 3.65 ERA over those two starts, and has largely been lights out in the postseason with the Phillies.

Both Strider and Wheeler have pitched so well that the Braves and Phillies have tabbed them to start on Opening Day over two starters with extensive experience taking the ball in the season-opener. Max Fried had made three consecutive Opening Day starts for the Braves, while Aaron Nola had gone six in a row. The two previously faced off on Opening Day 2021, with the Phillies winning 3-2. Presumably, Fried and Nola will instead face off this year in the second game of the season on Saturday, March 30.

One would think the finale of the series on Sunday, March 31 will then see seven-time All-Star Chris Sale take the ball for the Braves, with Ranger Suárez toeing the rubber for the Phillies.

All of this is, of course, subject to change. Nola’s wife, Hunter, has a due date of April 4, so there’s a real chance he’ll miss one of his early turns through the rotation, or that the order will have to be adjusted.