This is the Storyline Every Philadelphia Phillies Fan Needs to Be Following Against Braves

The Philadelphia Phillies take on the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night and this is the storyline you should be following.

Kade Kistner | Oct 11, 2023

This is the Storyline Every Philadelphia Phillies Fan Needs to Be Following Against Braves /

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The Philadelphia Phillies will take on the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the NLDS on Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park.

It's a major case of deja vu as last season the Phillies returned home to CBP with the series tied 1-1 against the Braves. They never had to return to Atlanta.

That could be the same path Philadelphia takes this season, but it all depends on Aaron Nola who will be given the start on Wednesday.

MLB.com came out with their key storylines for each game and each team.

For the Phillies, it's whether or not Nola can make Philadelphia forget about the disastrous ending of Game 2.

"As crushing as Monday night’s loss was -- and it was extremely crushing, staggering-listlessly-around-your-living-room-for-an-hour-afterward crushing -- it was just one loss," writes Will Leitch of MLB.com.

"These are fierce, hated division rivals who have a tendency to bring out the best in each other, and this sure has the feel of a series that’s going to go the distance, with one face-melting moment after another. The Phillies lost a gut punch on Monday. But at home, with Nola pitching, they’re more than capable of a few gut punches of their own. And if the Phils can pull it off, the parallels to last year’s series will be downright eerie."

While last year the Phillies felt like the team of destiny, which we now know they weren't, taking the same path, the exact same one, seems poetic in a way. A way that can only happen in a sport like baseball.

But it will come down to Nola's performance on Wednesday. While a loss doesn't spell the end of the season it would necessitate a return to Atlanta if Philadelphia has any hope of winning the series.

Nola has been inconsistent in his walk year, flashing signs of brilliance and of downright atrocious throwing.

If the real Aaron Nola shows up, then Philadelphia could be in for another magical ride.

Published Oct 11, 2023

KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl. During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated. Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.