Reds icon Joey Votto endorses baseball rivalries following Bryce Harper's Orlando Arcia staredown: "I think we need these exchanges"

The fierce rivalry between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves is heating up. Central to this drama are Phillies star Bryce Harper and Braves' Orlando Arcia.

The Phillies suffered a disappointing loss in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Braves, squandering a four-run lead. Further, it was Harper's base-running error that ended the game.

This mistake reportedly became a talking point in the Braves' clubhouse, leading to a comment from Arcia. He said:

"Atta-boy, Harper."

Harper delivered an emphatic response to Arcia's previous remark in Game 3. He launched two home runs in the Phillies' dominant 10-2 win.

Moreover, each time he touched home plate, he fixed his gaze on Arcia, serving as a silent retort to the Braves slugger.

Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto weighed in on the electric atmosphere the duel provided on the Dan Patrick Show.

"This is what baseball needs more of. I think we need these exchanges."

Votto added,

"The average baseball fan wants to hear the anger, the emotion, the hatred, the spite."

Baseball has been slowly evolving, with more players showing emotion and engaging in these rivalries. Votto's sentiment seems to lean toward embracing this shift.

Phillies will try to win it all in Game 4 of the NLDS vs. Braves

Thursday night promises high tension and drama. With the Phillies leading the series 2-1, the Braves face elimination as they approach Game 4.

Phillies' Bryce Harper, undeniably the star of the series so far, is expected to be a significant threat, but he's not alone. Backing him are catcher J.T. Realmuto and Nick Castellanos, who have displayed remarkable prowess in this series.

The Braves, however, will be coming in with everything to prove. Their offensive performance in the NLDS has been less than stellar, with just seven runs in three games. They will be putting their trust in ace Spencer Strider on the mound.