The defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves begin their title defense with a matchup against the division rival Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS. The Braves earned the second seed in the National League with a 101-61 record, while the Phillies earned the sixth seed and upset the St. Louis Cardinals in the Wild Card Round. With these two NL East foes going head-to-head, it's time to make some bold Braves predictions for this crucial playoff series.

These two teams start this much-anticipated series on Tuesday afternoon in Atlanta, with Max Fried on the mound for Atlanta and Ranger Suarez for Philadelphia. In Game 2 on Wednesday, Zach Wheeler and Kyle Wright will go head-to-head. The Phillies will roll out Aaron Nola once the series comes home on Friday, while the Braves are still undecided.

Without further ado, let's jump into some bold Braves predictions for this NLDS showdown.

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3. Austin Riley hits two home runs this series

Since joining the roster in 2019, Riley has been nothing short of fantastic for Atlanta. He truly broke out in 2021, where he hit 33 home runs and 107 RBI while batting .303. Riley then played a key role in the Braves' World Series run, with two home runs and eight RBI in 16 games.

The 25-year-old only improved this year and has even earned some consideration for NL MVP. His 93 RBI are down from last year, but he hit 38 home runs this season, fifth-most in baseball. Atlanta rewarded his outstanding performance with a 10-year extension worth $212 million, the biggest deal in franchise history.

Riley will look to prove he's worth that contract, and a two-homer performance in this series would do just that. He'll be going up against a stingy Phillies pitching staff that shut down the Cardinals in the Wild Card Round. However, Riley has proved he can hit against anyone, and this series should be no different.

2. Spencer Strider earns his new contract, tosses a gem out of the bullpen

Speaking of Braves who earned recently received new contracts, Strider did just that on Monday. The NL Rookie of the Year candidate inked a six-year extension worth $75 million, with an option for a seventh year. With 202 strikeouts and a 2.67 ERA this season, it's hard to say the 23-year-old hasn't earned this payday.

However, Strider's status for the NLDS remains in question. The rookie suffered an oblique injury that has kept him out of the lineup since Sept. 18. Strider received an encouraging update on Monday, though, as manager Brian Snitker said that he felt good while throwing this weekend. Snitker said “everything is an option” for Strider, per Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Braves could opt to use Strider as a starter or reliever, but given that he is just returning from injury, the latter feels a bit safer. He'll go up against a tough Phillies lineup featuring Kyle Schwarber, Rhys Hoskins and Bryce Harper, but he has shown he can handle Philadelphia.

Strider has a perfect 4-0 record against the Phillies this season with a 1.27 ERA. If he continues to pitch like that, Philly is in trouble whenever he steps on the mound.

1. Braves win 3-1 to advance to the NLCS

Coming into this series, the Braves have a clear advantage on paper. Atlanta fares better than Philadelphia in many key stats, including runs scored and ERA. The Braves also won the season series against the Phillies, going 11-8.

What may be the biggest factor in Atlanta's favor is playoff experience, though. The Braves have made the playoffs the last four seasons, including their World Series title last year. Meanwhile, the Phillies have not made the playoffs since 2011.

That kind of experience matters in October, and Atlanta has the heavy advantage. The Braves will defeat their rivals in four games and advance to their third straight NLCS.