The Philadelphia Phillies are getting set for a massive weekend series against the Atlanta Braves, and the pressure will be on for it to be a good weekend. Following a very successful West Coast trip, the Phillies have been able to gain some ground on the Braves and are also getting closer to clinching a playoff berth. Philadelphia was one of the best teams in baseball in August, and they will be looking to carry that over into September. They are going to be tested over the holiday weekend at home against the Braves, but with the team trailing by four games in the NL East standings, this is their chance to make a move. The four-game series is set to start on Friday night, and this will be a fun one over the weekend. Who: Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies When: Friday, September 4th, 6:40 PM EDTWhere: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PATelevision: NBCSPRadio: 94 WIP, iHeart AppPitching Matchup: Chris Sale vs. Cristopher SanchezAug 27, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale (51) reacts after the Braves defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectWith the series meaning a lot to both teams, it is hard to get a better pitching matchup than Sale going against Sanchez in this one. Both of these pitchers are having fantastic seasons, with each having an ERA under 3.00. At 37 years old, Sale is showing no signs of slowing down. This season, he has totaled a 13-9 record, 2.06 ERA, and 177 strikeouts. While it has been an impressive campaign for Sale, Sanchez has been equally as good for the Phillies. The southpaw has proven that he is one of the best pitchers in baseball, and this year has been an excellent one. So far in 2026, Sanchez has totaled a 16-4 record, 2.52 ERA, and has totaled 202 strikeouts. Furthermore, while the pitching matchup should be great, one player to watch in the lineup is Bryce Harper. The star of the Phillies has been outstanding of late, and with this series likely to have a playoff feel, Harper is going to be locked in. Over the last 15 days, Harper has slashed .432/.528/.682 with two home runs and eight RBI. Harper getting on base over half the time looks like some video game numbers, but the All-Star slugger has been locked in at the plate. Even though a matchup against Sale is far from ideal, Harper is seeing the ball really well right now. Overall, this will be a very exciting series, and Friday night is going to be an important game to set the tone. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow