The Braves head into Game 3 of their NLDS against the Dodgers with the series tied and momentum finally swinging their way after Sunday’s bullpen-heavy win in Los Angeles. Atlanta’s pitching staff delivered the kind of effort that can change a postseason series, and now the club gets to bring the matchup home Tuesday night with the chance to grab control in front of its own crowd.
One of the quieter stories inside Atlanta’s October run has been Rowdy Tellez, who was recently added to the lineup and is still waiting for his bat to catch up. Even so, he’s not treating his role like it has to show up in the box score. Tellez said he is happy “grabbing sunflower seeds when people need them,” per Reggie Chatman Jr. of 11 Alive News on X, formerly Twitter.
That kind of comment fits the way the Braves have approached these playoffs, with everyone asked to chip in however they can. Atlanta has been working through adversity since before Opening Day, especially with the injuries that hit its pitching staff.
On Sunday, manager Walt Weiss took the bold route and went with an all-bullpen approach rather than pushing ace Chris Sale on short rest. The move worked. Atlanta’s arms kept Los Angeles’ big bats in check and helped even the series at 1-1.
Now Sale returns to the mound as the Braves try to take the lead in the series at Truist Park. Game 3 is set for Tuesday at 6:00 pm ET.
In Other News...
Braves Just Made A Desperate Lineup Bet In A Must Win Game
With their season hanging over every pitch, the Braves unveiled a playoff lineup that signals both urgency and a willingness to mix things up. Michael Harris II is at the top, Ronald Acua Jr. is back in right field, and Atlanta is clearly trying to squeeze as much energy as possible out of a game that carries the weight of a must-win night.
The Dodgers answered with their own tweaks, putting Mookie Betts in the leadoff spot and sliding Shohei Ohtani into cleanup, a reminder of just how dangerous the other dugout can be when October chess pieces start moving around. The broadcast will have a different voice as well, with Brandon Gaudin filling in for Joe Davis, but for Atlanta the louder storyline is whether these lineup choices can give them enough edge to stay alive. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Season Ended With The Breakdown Fans Feared Most
The Braves postseason ended in the kind of flat, frustrating fashion that always feels worse because it was familiar. In Game 4 of the NLDS, the Dodgers beat Atlanta 4-1 and sent the Braves home, with Michael Harris II providing the lone notable spark on offense while the rest of the lineup never quite found a rhythm.
Los Angeles did plenty of its damage by taking advantage of defensive mistakes and coming through with timely hits, the sort of efficiency Atlanta could not match on a night when the margin for error disappeared quickly. The Dodgers move on to the NLCS, while the Braves are left with the lingering feeling that the breakdown fans had been bracing for arrived at exactly the wrong time. [Read more 🡒]
Freddie Freeman Just Reopened An Uncomfortable Debate For Braves Fans
Freddie Freemans return to Atlanta brought the kind of reminder Braves fans expected and probably did not want. In Game 3, the former Braves first baseman went deep in the fourth inning to help the Dodgers move ahead in the series, and the home crowd met him with boos. Freeman, who spent 12 years in Atlanta before leaving for Los Angeles, said afterward he was unfazed by the reaction and still appreciative of his old team.
For Braves fans, the moment reopened a familiar debate about how to process one of the franchises modern icons wearing a different uniform in October. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the crowds response, but also pointed to the respect that remains for Freeman, even in a building where emotions clearly have not faded. It was the sort of postseason scene that leaves the baseball part of the story settled for the night, while the personal part hangs around a little longer. [Read more 🡒]