Phillies vs. Braves Picks Today: Best Bets and Props for Wild Card Game 3 (October 1)

Phillies vs. Braves Picks in Summary

• Phillies Moneyline (-116)

There’s nothing quite like a winner-take-all game in October.

After splitting the first two games of their NL Wild Card Series, the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves will settle things tonight in a decisive Game 3. Atlanta struck first with a 5-3 victory in the opener, but Philadelphia responded with a narrow 4-3 win on Wednesday to keep its season alive.

Now, one of the National League East rivals will move on to the NLDS while the other will head home.

Let’s break down Phillies-Braves Game 3 and highlight the best bets to consider for tonight’s elimination game.

All MLB odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

Phillies vs Braves Game 3 Best Bets and Picks

Phillies Moneyline (-116)

As of Thursday morning, neither the Philadelphia Phillies or the Atlanta Braves have officially announced who will start on the mound. But we mostly know who the options are, and I like the Phillies’ SP options more than Atlanta’s.

For Philly, they’ll likely turn to Aaron Nola or Zack Wheeler on three days rest, with Game 1 starter Jesus Luzardo and relief ace Jhoan Duran also options to throw at some point. My guess is that Wheeler ultimately starts, and if that’s the case, he gives the Phillies a sizable edge in my eyes — even on short rest — as Wheeler pitched to a 3.17 SIERA, 29.9% K rate and 14.0% swinging-strike rate in 2026.

If it winds up being Nola, I view that as a downgrade from Wheeler, but Nola is pretty darn good, too, recording a 3.93 SIERA and 23.8% K rate.

For Atlanta, things are more up in the air. It seems like we’ll either see a Johnny Wholestaff game, one potentially opened by Ray Kerr. Another option is RHP Grant Holmes, who could be used as a starter or a bulk guy in relief. Holmes struggled to a 4.78 SIERA this campaign and permitted 1.31 jacks per nine.

None of the Braves’ options sound as good to me as what the Phillies can put out there, which leads me to back the Phils to win tonight’s Game 3.

MLB Betting Frequently Asked Questions

What are MLB player prop bets?

MLB player prop bets are wagers on specific statistical outcomes tied to individual players during a game — not on which team wins or loses. You might bet on how many strikeouts a starting pitcher records, whether a shortstop gets a hit, or how many total bases an outfielder accumulates.

Because they are isolated to a single player's performance, props let you apply focused knowledge about matchups, recent form, and ballpark conditions rather than predicting the full game result.

What types of MLB player props are available?

FanDuel offers a wide menu of MLB props. The most common categories include:

• Pitcher strikeouts
• Batter hits
• Home runs
• Total bases
• RBIs
• Stolen bases
• Pitcher outs recorded

How do MLB player prop bet odds work?

MLB prop odds use the standard American (moneyline) format. A negative number shows how much you must wager to profit $100. A positive number shows how much a $100 bet returns in profit.

• -110 odds — bet $110 to win $100
• +130 odds — bet $100 to win $130
• -200 odds — bet $200 to win $100

What does "total bases" mean as a prop bet?

The total bases prop counts the bases a batter earns from hits in a single game:

• Single = 1 base
• Double = 2 bases
• Triple = 3 bases
• Home run = 4 bases

Walks, hit-by-pitches, and stolen bases do not count. A typical total bases line is set at 1.5 or 2.5. Betting over 1.5 means you need at least a double, or two singles.

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Which bets stand out to you today? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's MLB odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.