The Braves and Dodgers are back in the NLDS, but the roster overlap with their wild 2021 NLCS barely scratches the surface of that old showdown.
That series still stands out as one of the most chaotic playoff battles of the last few years. Atlanta won it, then rolled all the way to a World Series title. The path there was anything but simple: a pair of walk-off wins, Eddie Rosario turning into Babe Ruth, and a Braves bullpen masterpiece in Game 6 all helped decide it.
Even with all that history hanging over this matchup, the actual list of players who were on both the 2021 NLCS rosters and this year’s playoff rosters is surprisingly short.
For the Braves, there are only two current NLDS players who were also in that 2021 NLCS, not counting Freddie Freeman, who comes with his own separate wrinkle. Ozzie Albies has been a fixture at second base for years, and Austin Riley arrived at third base a little later. Albies has held up well across both playoff runs, while Riley has looked far more like a shell of his old self, aside from that one huge swing against the Phillies in the Wild Card round.
The Dodgers have a few more familiar faces from that 2021 group, including some important ones. Mookie Betts is the biggest name in the bunch, even though his bat has dropped off over the last couple of years. He also shows up in a strange little detail from the two series: he played different positions in both, and since then he has moved back to shortstop after spending most of his career in the outfield.
Will Smith was still climbing in 2021 and was only starting to establish himself as one of the better catchers in baseball. This year, though, he was limited to 73 games because of a neck injury.
Then there are the relievers. Alex Vesia is still there, and so is Evan Phillips, who once spent time in the Braves’ organization. Even with a few more returnees than Atlanta, the Dodgers’ roster still looks very different from the one that took the field in that 2021 NLCS.
In Other News...
Ronald Acua Jr. Reopened Braves Drama Before A Huge Game 3
Ronald Acua Jr. added a fresh layer of intrigue around the Braves on the eve of Game 3 of the NLDS, using a Spanish-language podcast appearance to share his thoughts on the coaching staff. The comments centered on someone who is no longer with the team, and while Acua and his co-host stopped short of naming the person, the discussion was pointed enough to spark immediate speculation.
For Atlanta, the timing is what makes it stick. With a huge postseason game coming, the remarks have pulled attention back toward a familiar off-field storyline, even though the exact target of Acuas criticism still has not been confirmed. It is the kind of sidelight that can follow a team into October, especially when the baseball itself is about to matter even more. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Had To Change Their NLDS Plan Around Ronald Acua Jr
Ronald Acua Jr. was supposed to be part of the Braves Game 3 NLDS formula in the outfield, but the plan shifted as the series moved on. Lingering knee soreness from a slide in a previous game pushed Atlanta to make a late adjustment, moving Acua to designated hitter and reshaping the rest of the lineup around it.
Sean Murphy was scratched and Lane Thomas was added in right field, while the Braves kept their catching duties aligned behind Chris Sale by leaning on Drake Baldwin. Murphy still remains in the mix as a pinch-hitting option, a reminder that even in October, one nagging issue can force a team to redraw its blueprint on the fly. [Read more 🡒]
Braves-Dodgers Game 3 Just Took Two Unexpected Turns
The NL Division Series shifts to Atlanta with the stakes even again, and the broadcast booth is getting an unusual late change before first pitch. Joe Davis will not call Game 3 between the Dodgers and Braves because he lost his voice, so Kenny Albert is stepping in for the national telecast as the series heads to Tuesdays 6:00 ET matchup.
The on-field wrinkle is just as notable for a Braves team trying to seize control at home. Los Angeles is also altering its order, moving Shohei Ohtani into the fifth spot against Chris Sale, a move that adds another layer to a game already carrying plenty of pressure with the series knotted at 1-1. [Read more 🡒]