Phillies and Braves set for doubleheader after rainout. Harper gets extra day off after being hit

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The second game of a three-game series between the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves was postponed Wednesday because of rain and was rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader on Thursday.

The Phillies will host Atlanta in the first game at 1:05 p.m., and the originally scheduled game remains at 6:45 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies will send left-hander Cristopher Sánchez (4-1, 3.17 ERA) to the mound in the first game and righty Zack Wheeler (6-1, 2.42 ERA) in the second.

The Braves will send right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver (3-2, 3.67 ERA) to the mound in the first game and 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale (2-3, 3.36 ERA) to the mound in the second game.

Sale won pitching’s top prize last season while Wheeler was runner-up.

The Phillies beat Atlanta 2-0 on Tuesday and have won 10 of 11 games overall to lead the NL East. They survived a scare when star slugger Bryce Harper left in the first inning after he was hit near the right elbow by a 95.3 mph fastball from Braves starter Spencer Strider. Harper sustained a bruise, and an X-ray was negative, the Phillies said.

Manager Rob Thomson said after the game Harper was “in a lot of pain” after he was hit and would be evaluated again Wednesday morning. The Phillies never announced a lineup ahead of the rainout, and the team said an update was expected Thursday.

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