3 reasons Philadelphia Phillies can upset the Braves in the NLDS

No. 1 reason Phillies can upset Braves in NLDS: Pitching

The Braves' pitching staff is in a world of hurt these days. Charlie Morton is out with a finger injury, Max Fried ended the season on the IL with a blister and Kyle Wright is prepping for a bullpen role after an exceedingly poor return from injury. Atlanta's once-fearsome collection of slingers ain't what it used to be.

Of course, there's still much respect to be paid to Spencer Strider, who broke the franchise record for strikeouts in a single season. Fried should be back in the mix, potentially with a favorable rest schedule if (and only if) the Braves take care of business. The bullpen isn't great, but it's in better shape than it was a few months ago.

When you look at the Phillies, however, it's difficult not to get a little nervous from Atlanta's perspective. Aaron Nola just pitched a scoreless seven-inning gem to eliminate the Marlins. Zack Wheeler was dealing in Game 1, giving up one earned run in 6.2 innings. The top of the Phillies rotation is stronger than Atlanta's — at least on the most literal terms when one considers the Braves' health battles. The Phillies' bullpen is a mixed bag, much like Atlanta's, but there's reason to believe in proven postseason weapons like Craig Kimbrel.

This is where the Phillies need to win the battle. The Braves have the best offense in baseball, but the Phillies are capable of accumulating runs in a hurry. That said, a straight arms race on the offensive end doesn't favor the Phillies. If Philadelphia can slow down the Braves' historic offense just enough, however, and potentially set up the chance to win at home in from of a frenzied Philly crowd... well, then, we may just see the Phillies pull this off.