MLB playoffs 2023: Is Phillies-Braves baseball's best rivalry? - ESPN

12.10.2023 - 13:53 espn.com

PHILADELPHIA — Over the past two years, Phillies-Braves has transformed into one of baseball's best rivalries, in the vein of Yankees-Red Sox, Giants-Dodgers, or Cardinals-Cubs.

One thing it did not yet have is a signature moment. That changed Wednesday night in Philadelphia, in the second edition of what could be an annual National League Division Series occurrence.

After word got out of postgame comments by Atlanta Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia laughing at Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper for making the last out of Game 2 in Atlanta, their series resumed at Citizens Bank Park for Game 3.

Harper responded to the barbs by hitting two long home runs, staring down Arcia as he rounded the bases both times and fanning the flames of this postseason's hottest matchup.

rowing show ESPN STARS UPS fun Citizens rivalry Red Sox Philadelphia Phillies Bryce Harper Aaron Nola state Indiana Philadelphia

The ESPN+ Cheat Sheet is your one-stop shop for Week 8 fantasy football advice. We've curated all of our best start/sit advice from this week, including Mike Clay's Playbook and Shadow Report, Matt Bowen's Film Room, Tristan H. Cockcroft's Matchups Map, Liz Loza's Facts vs. Feelings and Eric Karabell's Fantasy Hot Seat. Don't have time to read it all? That's why cheat sheets were invented in the first place! Catch up on a week's worth of reading in mere minutes, see which players are on the injury report and then set your lineup with confidence.

MLB playoffs 2023: Rangers knock out Astros, D-backs survive - ESPN

The Arizona Diamondbacks foiled what started out as a potential double elimination day by coming into Citizens Bank Park for Game 6 and beating the Philadelphia Phillies 5-1 to stay alive and force a Game 7 — the two best words in sports — in the National League Championship Series. Then, the Texas Rangers punched their ticket to the 2023 World Series by eliminating the Houston Astros in a Game 7 blowout.

MLB Playoffs 2023: Complicated legacy of Astros' Jose Altuve - ESPN

HOUSTON — HERE, JOSE ALTUVE is safe. From the boos and hisses, the anger and loathing, the emotion his mere existence conjures. This man, baseball's smallest player and yet one of its biggest stars, lives a binary existence. He is a villain in 29 stadiums. And then he comes home.

MLB playoffs 2023: Why the Arizona Diamondbacks aren't ready to give up - ESPN

PHOENIX — A funny thing happened along the way to a Philadelphia Phillies repeat as pennant winners: The Arizona Diamondbacks decided to make a series of their best-of-seven matchup with the defending NL champs. On Friday, the self-anointed «Answerbacks» tied the NLCS at 2-2 with a thrilling 6-5 win, one night after they beat Philadelphia 2-1 in a walk-off.

UFC 294: Expert picks and best bets - ESPN

UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev puts his belt on the line in a rematch against featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski in the main event at UFC 294 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday (2 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV, with prelims at 10 a.m. ET on ESPN+).

Astros beat Texas after melee and D-backs win in MLB playoffs

WASHINGTON: Jose Altuve smashed a three-run home run in the ninth inning to deliver defending champion Houston a dramatic 5-4 comeback victory over Texas on Friday in the Major League Baseball playoffs.