The Athletics are hitting the road and heading straight to the City of Brotherly Love for a three-game showdown against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Just a week ago, these two teams seemed to be on completely different trajectories—the A's were riding high atop the American League West, while the Phillies were stuck at the bottom of the National League East. But after Philadelphia made a bold move, firing manager Rob Thomson and bringing in former Dodgers and Marlins skipper Don Mattingly, the tide has turned. The Phillies have gone 7-3 in their last ten games, climbed out of the cellar, and are now playing much closer to the level fans expected from the start.

On the mound for the A's this afternoon is Luis Severino. The right-hander brings a 2-2 record and a 4.46 ERA into the game, but he's been heating up lately with back-to-back Quality Starts and wins under his belt. He'll face off against Philadelphia's Cristopher Sánchez, who has been solid this season with a 2-2 record and an impressive 2.90 ERA over 40.1 innings pitched. It's a classic matchup of a pitcher finding his groove versus one who's been steady all year.

Manager Mark Kotsay has rolled out a lineup for the A's that will look to jump on Sánchez early. On the other side, the Phillies will counter with a lineup that's been clicking since the managerial change. With both teams hungry for a series win, this afternoon's game promises plenty of drama under the Philadelphia sun.