Philadelphia Phillies vs Atlanta Braves Picks and Predictions May 28th 2025

Wheeler Looks to Stay Hot, Avenge April Outing

Zack Wheeler has been nearly untouchable of late. The Philadelphia Phillies right-hander enters Wednesday’s game against the Atlanta Braves with 22 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings and four straight winning starts. But his lone blemish this season came against Atlanta, and he’ll have a chance to atone in the middle contest of this three-game set at Citizens Bank Park.

Wheeler (6-1, 2.42 ERA) has pitched like a true ace in 2025, blanking opponents in each of his last three starts. He most recently silenced the Oakland Athletics across 6 2/3 innings in a win last Friday. The last time he faced the Braves, however, they tagged him for a season-high five runs over just 5 1/3 innings in a 7-5 loss on April 8. Wheeler didn’t take the loss, but he was visibly frustrated afterward.

“I was mad at myself for not bearing down because you take pride in that type of stuff,” Wheeler said after the game. “Not being able to bear down and get out of that inning unscathed, that made me mad.”

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Braves Turn to Smith-Shawver for a Rebound

Opposing Wheeler will be AJ Smith-Shawver (3-2, 3.67 ERA), a promising young arm for the Braves who is coming off the worst start of his season. He was shelled for seven runs over three innings in his last outing against the Washington Nationals. Prior to that, he had given up just one earned run over 19 2/3 innings in his previous three starts combined.

This will be Smith-Shawver’s first career start against the Phillies, and it comes at a time when Atlanta needs to reverse a downward trend. The Braves have dropped five of their last six games and are falling further behind in the National League East.

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Harper’s Status Uncertain After Elbow Scare

The Phillies could be without one of their biggest bats. Bryce Harper exited Tuesday’s game after taking a fastball off his right elbow from Braves starter Spencer Strider. X-rays came back negative, and the team diagnosed him with a contusion. Manager Rob Thomson said Harper’s status for Wednesday would be determined in the morning.

“He’s one of the best players this century and he needs to be on the field,” Strider said. “It’s best for the game and it’s good for us to compete against him.”

Philadelphia secured a 2-0 win in the series opener, with Ranger Suarez throwing six shutout innings and Max Kepler driving in a run. The win marked the Phillies’ 10th victory in their past 11 games, reinforcing their position as the team to beat in the NL East.

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Phillies Surging as Braves Slip

The Phillies and Braves have now split their four meetings this season. Philadelphia owns the best record in baseball and currently leads the New York Mets by 1.5 games atop the NL East. The Braves, meanwhile, are now 9.5 games back.

As these division rivals continue their battle, all eyes will be on Wheeler’s effort to extend his scoreless streak and reassert dominance against Atlanta. Whether Harper plays or not, the Phillies are proving they have the depth and pitching to remain a force.

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