Rise and Phight: 8/30/2021

Which would you rather do: chase down the Braves and win the division, or take the second wild card and face the Dodgers? Atlanta just keeps chugging along, winning games two of three against the Giants, but now they get another test against the Dodgers. Chances are that one won’t go as well. The Reds are at the top of the second wild card chase and might be more feasible for the Phillies, but there are two other teams between them in the Padres and Cardinals.

Either way, getting to the playoffs would be a wondrous thing for the Phillies this season. It would be much more preferable to win the division, of course, since they would be guaranteed three playoff games, but if we’re being honest, it wouldn’t be the worst thing to get the second wild card game. You’d have to assume that Zack Wheeler would get the ball in that situation and even if he did have to face the Dodgers’ lineup, fans would have to feel pretty good that he could at least keep them in the game, maybe even sneaking out of Los Angeles since it is a winner take all game. After that, who knows!

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• The Chase Anderson era is officially over with his release.
• Wow, this kind of a piece written about Bryce Harper written by someone at the Washington Post? Some editor must’ve been asleep.
• A little leak by Jean Segura and now everyone knows J.T. Realmuto has been dealing with a sore shoulder.

MLB news:

• The Mets had a rough day. First, Noah Syndergaard tested positive for COVID, then their high profile trade acquisition openly declared war on the fanbase.
• If MLB players could change something about their sport, here is what they would do.
• It’s possible that the Orioles just finished the worst stretch of baseball in history.