The Atlanta Braves’ recent four-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies likely served as the final nail in the coffin for the Braves’ chances at a division crown. The Phillies winning three out of the four games halted any momentum the Braves had at chasing them down in the division standings. Entering Friday’s action, the Braves were eight games back.

More importantly, the Braves are now tied with the Mets for the final wild card position, which is where the Braves should have their sights in this last month of the season.

After all, if recent postseason trends will tell us anything, it’s not how good your record says you are entering this playoffs, it’s how well you’re playing at that time. The best teams don’t always win.

Just ask last year’s versions of the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers. The top two seeds in the National League were ousted in the National League Division Series.

The sixth-seeded Arizona Diamondbacks upset the Milwaukee Brewers, Dodgers and Phillies en route to the World Series.

The same scenario played out in the 2022 postseason. The Dodgers and Braves were again the National League’s top two seeds and both were upset in the NLDS. The Phillies, seeded sixth in those playoffs, advanced to the World Series before losing to the Houston Astros in six games.

Even during the Braves’ World Series year in 2021, they were not the best team heading into postseason, as evidenced by their No. 3 seed. But they played the best in the playoffs. Hitters like Eddie Rosario got hot. Pitchers like Tyler Matzek were shutting down opponents.

The Braves just need to catch lightning in a bottle over the next few weeks. Marcell Ozuna needs to continue his torrid pace and maybe win a Triple Crown. Michael Harris II needs to continue his sparkling play in center field and deliver clutch hits in the leadoff position. Matt Olson needs to cut down the strikeouts, and Ozzie Albies needs to get healthy.

If the Braves offense can improve ever so slightly, it should benefit a pitching staff that has been dominant all season. I like my chances with Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, Max Fried and Charlie Morton atop the rotation with a young phenom like Spencer Schwellenbach providing a strong option as a No. 5 starter.

The Braves have the talent and experience to make noise in the postseason. A wild card spot is not the worst position to be in. In fact, it’s the prime spot for baseball. The Braves just have to get there first.