LOS ANGELES -- The last time the Braves and Dodgers met in the postseason, a trip to the World Series was on the line.
The Braves ousted the Dodgers in the 2021 NL Championship Series, going on to win the fourth championship in franchise history. But since then, Atlanta has not made it past the Division Series round, while L.A. is the defending back-to-back champion.
The Dodgers' three-peat bid will begin in earnest when they take on the Braves in the 2026 NL Division Series starting this Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, with triple-digit heat in the forecast.
During the regular season, the Braves outplayed the Dodgers, winning five of their six meetings and outscoring them 26-15. But the postseason is a different beast, and a rested L.A. club will meet an Atlanta team that had to play hard to eliminate Philadelphia from the best-of-three Wild Card Series.
When is the game and how can I watch it
First pitch for Game 1 is set for 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT on Saturday at Dodger Stadium. It will be broadcast on Fox, Fox Deportes and FOX ONE.
Who are the starting pitchers?
Braves: TBD
Injuries have depleted Atlanta's rotation. Chris Sale won’t be available before Game 2 on Sunday, and Tyler Mahle won’t be available before Game 3 on Tuesday. As for Martín Pérez, who was placed on the injured list with low back inflammation on Sept. 1, he couldn’t be activated before Game 3. Grant Holmes threw just two innings in Thursday’s win over the Phillies, so he may be asked to pitch the first few innings. J.R. Ritchie is another option. There’s also a chance a lefty reliever could be used as an opener for Holmes or Ritchie.
Dodgers: TBD (likely RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto)
Key stat: .182 opponents' batting average ranked third among qualified MLB pitchers
The Dodgers have yet to formally announce their NLDS rotation, but Yamamoto taking the ball in Game 1 would be the only way to have him available for a potential Game 5 on his usual rest. Even in a stacked starting four that also features Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, Yamamoto is considered L.A.'s ace.
Yamamoto had already established himself as a big-game pitcher long before arriving in the Majors, but he took it to another level last postseason when he tossed consecutive complete games in the NLCS and the World Series before closing out the winner-take-all Game 7 on zero days' rest. He set a high standard last year, and he'll no doubt try to keep raising the bar this postseason.
What might the starting lineups look like?
Braves: Drake Baldwin hit a leadoff homer against Yamamoto on Aug. 27 to account for the only run of Atlanta's 1-0 win. Michael Harris II, Matt Olson and Baldwin will appreciate seeing a right-hander after facing two left-handed starters in Jesús Luzardo and Cristopher Sánchez during the Wild Card Series.
1. Drake Baldwin, C
2. Ronald Acuña Jr., RF
3. Matt Olson, 1B
4. Michael Harris II, CF
5. Mauricio Dubón, SS
6. Ozzie Albies, 2B
7. Austin Riley, 3B
8. Mike Yastrzemski, LF
9. Dominic Smith, DH
Dodgers: After Shohei Ohtani recovered from right biceps and left knee injuries and returned from the 15-day IL, manager Dave Roberts began using a platoon in the leadoff spot, slotting in Ohtani against right-handers and Mookie Betts against left-handers. The leadoff platoon, as well as other tweaks corresponding to the handedness of the opposing starter, is expected to continue in the postseason.
1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
2. Mookie Betts, SS
3. Freddie Freeman, 1B
4. Will Smith, C
5. Kyle Tucker, RF
6. Teoscar Hernández, LF
7. Max Muncy, 3B
8. Andy Pages, CF
9. Tommy Edman, 2B
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Braves: Didier Fuentes might be the only reliever who isn’t available. He pitched three consecutive days during the Wild Card Series. Robert Suarez has surrendered an extra-base hit in each of the three appearances he’s had since his right elbow inflammation forced him to the injured list in June. But his velocity was up and he looked more like himself while throwing two-thirds of an inning Thursday. He’ll likely get some high-leverage spots, especially with Dylan Lee struggling most of the second half and into the postseason.
Dodgers: L.A. may not have a set closer this postseason, but Tanner Scott, Roki Sasaki and Edwin Díaz all seem to be viable ninth-inning options. Righty reliever Edgardo Henriquez, whose regular season ended early due to a lower back strain, is expected to be activated for the NLDS as long as he comes out of bye week workouts feeling good, bolstering the Dodgers' already solid mix of leverage arms.
Any injuries of note?
Braves: Right-hander Bryce Elder (right knee surgery) will not be available during this series. Pérez will not be eligible to be activated until Tuesday, which is Game 3 of the NLDS. So, if the team is confident he will be ready, he could be placed on the roster. Outfielder Lane Thomas (left intercostal muscle strain) took batting practice this week, so there’s a chance he’ll be available.
Dodgers: Of the players who ended the season on the IL, the Dodgers are most confident about Henriquez returning. World Series hero Will Klein (right elbow discomfort) has faced hitters, but he has not pitched in a game since July 31 and is viewed as more of a depth option.
Who is hot and who is not?
Braves: Olson, Albies and Harris all homered in Thursday’s win over the Phillies. Harris went 5-for-11 in the Wild Card Series. Baldwin went 2-for-13 and Acuña was 1-for-9.
Dodgers: In September, Betts (1.112 OPS) and Teoscar Hernández (.965 OPS) were two of the Dodgers' hottest hitters. Tucker (.890 OPS) had his best month by far in his disappointing first season in L.A., perhaps getting hot at the right time.
Freeman dealt with right patellar tendinitis early last month, and he has slugged just .355 since the beginning of July. Ohtani recorded a .666 OPS in his past 29 games, when his biceps and knee injuries flared up and impacted his performance.
Anything else fans might want to know?
• The Dodgers are bidding for the fifth three-peat in World Series history, and the first since the 1998-2000 Yankees. They would be the first National League team to pull off the feat.
• The Braves and Dodgers will be meeting in the postseason for the sixth time. Atlanta was victorious in the 1996 NLDS and the 2021 NLCS. Los Angeles won the 2013 NLDS, 2018 NLDS and 2020 NLCS.