Facing the Stache — Phillies @ Braves NLDS Game 1 Preview

The NLDS is here, and the Phillies are facing one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball. However, his postseason history does not back that up.

Here is the Phillies’ starting lineup for Game 1:

Red October enters its second stage.#RedOctober pic.twitter.com/VCcyzWbe2s
— Philly Sports Reports (@PhlySprtsReprts) October 7, 2023

Brandon Marsh makes his first start of the postseason. Cristian Pache started both Wild Card games against the left-hander, with Marsh entering the game against a righty-reliever. The Phillies’ plan is to platoon the two outfielders.

The Phils will face righthander Spencer Strider. Strider dominated the Phillies in the regular season. However, he was good last October in his one postseason meeting with them. He was disastrous as Strider allowed five runs on three hits in 2 1/3 innings in Philadelphia. The Phillies won that game and the next one, taking the series from the Atlanta Braves.

The 24-year-old rebounded that start, publishing the best totals in wins (20) and strikeouts (281) in the MLB to help the Braves secure MLB’s best record in the regular season (104-58). He went 4-0 with a 2.42 ERA in four starts this season against the Phillies and owns an 8-0 mark with a 1.90 ERA in eight career appearances (seven starts) versus the Phils.

Here is the Braves’ starting lineup for Game 1:

Game 1.#AsOneATL pic.twitter.com/Gp2gY5nAQb
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) October 7, 2023

For the Phillies, southpaw Ranger Suarez will take the ball for Game 1.

Suarez posted a 4-6 record with a 4.18 ERA in 22 starts this season before joining the rest of the starting pitching staff in watching Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola reel in the Marlins — Wheeler and Nola will start Games 2 and 3, respectively.

Suarez is no stranger to facing Atlanta in the postseason, having allowed one run on three hits in 3 1/3 innings of a no-decision in Game 1 last season’s NLDS. He posted a 2-0 record with a 1.23 ERA and a save in five appearances and three starts during the 2022 postseason.

“We all know that the moment’s not going to be too big for Ranger,” manager Rob Thomson said Friday. “He’s a pretty cool cucumber out there. So we’re confident in that.”

Suarez’s last start did not go so well, as he allowed six runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings on September 27. Granted, it was the night after they clinched the postseason, so he may have still been a little intoxicated.

“The last 10 days I’ve been throwing a couple of bullpens,” Suarez said Friday. “Sometimes I get on the mound just to have a good feeling on it, you know, just I don’t want to forget how it feels like to get on the mound. And, yeah, obviously for this game, I’ve been getting mentally ready for it, too.”

Suarez gave up one run on four hits and struck out seven over six innings in a no-decision against the Braves on June 20. In his against the Braves, he is 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 16 career appearances and seven starts.

Game 1 could portray a lot in this series. Whoever wins this game has a very good shot at winning the series.