The Atlanta Braves won the NL East and took nine of 13 games from the Philadelphia Phillies. Neither accomplishment guarantees another victory when their best-of-three NL Wild Card Series begins Tuesday at Truist Park. The Phillies eliminated the Braves in the 2022 and 2023 Division Series. This time, the Braves have home-field advantage and Chris Sale for Game 1, but their lineup needs more than its biggest names.

Mauricio Dubon could determine whether Atlanta finally reverses that postseason pattern.

Dubon lacks Ronald Acuna Jr.'s star power and Matt Olson's home run power. Yet he is projected to bat fifth on Tuesday, between Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies. In this spot, he can drive in runners ahead of him and keep innings alive for Atlanta's lower order. For a Braves offense that cooled late in September, his at-bats could decide tight games, especially at Truist Park.

Dubon's case rests on more than a convenient lineup spot. He hit .276 with 12 home runs and 73 RBIs across 153 games this season. He and Drake Baldwin were the only Braves besides Acuna Jr. to post an OPS of at least .750 in September. Dubon raised his OPS above .850 over the season's final two weeks. Atlanta needs that production after Jesus Luzardo held the Braves to two hits and struck out 12 in a shutout on September 7.

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Luzardo will open Tuesday's game following a shoulder injury, but the Phillies do not expect him to work deep. He made only one appearance between the shutout and Game 1, throwing just four pitches in Sunday's playoff-clinching win. Dubon, a right-handed hitter, must make his opportunities against the left-hander count without assuming that Luzardo's limited workload makes him an easy opponent. If Philadelphia turns early to its bullpen, productive at-bats from the middle of Atlanta's order could expose a vulnerable bridge to closer Jhoan Duran.

Dubon can also change the series without a headline-grabbing hit. The two-time Gold Glove utility winner gives manager Walt Weiss options at shortstop and left field. Lane Thomas is expected to miss the round with an intercostal strain. Against a left-handed starter, Weiss could shift Dubon to left and use Ha-Seong Kim at shortstop. Cristopher Sanchez is scheduled to start Game 2, making this flexibility immediately relevant.

That versatility matters because a three-game series offers little time to recover from one missed play or one wasted scoring chance. Dubon delivered a two-run homer against Philadelphia in September and has shown he can contribute in this matchup. Still, his season-long .720 OPS reminds us he is no middle-order slugger. Atlanta needs him to reach base, make contact with runners aboard and handle whichever defensive assignment Weiss chooses.

Sale can set the tone, while Acuna and Olson supply the power. Dubon is the player who connects those advantages to the rest of the roster. If he produces in the middle of the lineup and protects Atlanta defensively, the Braves can turn their regular-season edge into postseason redemption. If that spot goes quiet, the Phillies have already shown how quickly they can spoil Atlanta's October plans.