Every time Atlanta Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia has stepped into the batter’s box at Citizens Bank Park in 2024, he has been greeted by boos from the Philadelphia Phillies fans.
Entering Saturday night’s matchup between the National League East rivals, Arcia might hope that the Phillies’ fans continue to shower him with jeers.
In Atlanta’s 7-2 win on Friday, Arcia recorded his first multi-homer game as a Brave and just the second of his career, with the other coming in 2019 as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers.
As if the Philadelphia fans needed an extra reason to boo a Braves player, Arcia was overheard “mocking” Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper after a baserunning mistake in last year’s NL Division Series.
“I like to think that I am a player who goes out there and tries to enjoy his game,” Arcia said. “If they boo me, I still have to go out there and take those at bats, so it doesn’t change much.”
After Philadelphia overcame a four-run deficit in Thursday’s 5-4 win over Atlanta, Arcia and starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez helped the Braves trim the Phillies’ division lead to five games on Friday.
Atlanta will look for more pitching success on Saturday, as left-hander Max Fried (8-7, 3.50 ERA) takes the mound.
The 30-year-old All Star is coming off Monday’s win 10-6 over the Minnesota Twins, striking out seven and allowing three runs (one earned) in five innings. Prior to that outing, Fried received a no-decision against the Phillies on Aug. 21 despite throwing seven innings of two-run ball. The Braves lost 3-2.
In 22 career appearances against Philadelphia, including 16 starts, Fried is 4-5 with a 4.05 ERA.
Overall, the Braves have won 10 of 13 games.
With 27 games remaining in the regular season, the Phillies have a chance to clinch their first NL East title since 2011. A pair of wins over the next two days would put a sizable distance between the second-place Braves, who have won the division six consecutive seasons.
The two teams have met in the NLDS the last two seasons, with the Phillies winning both years in four games.
For veterans such as Harper, the magnitude of this late season series is understood.
“That’s a really good team over there,” Harper said of the Braves. “They’re playing real good baseball right now. We’ve got a chance to go and beat them the next two.”
Harper was one of the lone offensive bright spots for the Phillies on Friday, finishing 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles. The two-time NL MVP and eight-time All-Star has been a constant for a Philadelphia offense that is tied for MLB’s fourth-best average at .258.
The Phillies’ pitching staff will vie for a better performance, as starter Ranger Suarez lasted just four innings after allowing four runs on Friday.
Luckily for Philadelphia, veteran Zack Wheeler (12-6, 2.74 ERA) will start on Saturday.
The Georgia native is coming off back-to-back starts of six-inning, two-run ball. The 34-year-old right-hander is 12-8 with a 3.07 ERA in 29 career starts against the Braves.
–Field Level Media