When they take on Bryce Harper and the fortified Philadelphia Phillies in a highly anticipated opening series between division rivals beginning Thursday at Philadelphia, the Braves will do something almost unheard of, and which no one anticipated six weeks ago. They will start a pair of rookie pitchers, Bryse Wilson and Kyle Wright, in the second and third games of the series.



Even the two pitchers themselves could hardly believe it when told by manager Brian Snitker on Thursday at spring-training camp in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., after pitching coach Rick Kranitz summoned them to the manager’s office — the kind of meeting that typically takes place when rookies are told they’ve been reassigned or optioned to minor league camp.



“Kranny called me and said, ‘Hey, Skip wants to see you,’” said Wilson, who went to the manager’s office and saw Snitker, Kranitz, bench coach Walt Weiss and general manager Alex Anthopoulos all...