The Braves are heading into the NLDS with some real confidence, and for good reason. They already cleared the hurdle of winning a playoff series, celebrated that breakthrough, and now get the Dodgers - the team that has long been a problem for Atlanta, even after the Braves solved that matchup in the 2021 NLCS on their way to a World Series title.
Since then, Los Angeles has added two more World Series titles, while Atlanta has not made it back. If the Braves are going to keep this run alive, they’ll have to knock off one of baseball’s most dangerous teams.
There are reasons to think Atlanta can do it. The Braves have been excellent against winning teams in 2026, going 43-29.
Only the Brewers have been better in that category, at 45-30. And Atlanta also handled the Dodgers in the regular season, winning the season series 5-1.
That combination gives the Braves a legitimate case to make this a much tougher matchup than it might look on paper.
Another edge for Atlanta is how often it fights back late. The Braves have made a habit of staying alive deep into games, which matters a lot in October.
Their best offensive numbers come after the eighth inning. In the ninth inning and later, Atlanta is hitting .280 with an .846 OPS.
In extra innings, the average jumps to .321, with the same team OPS. That kind of late-game production can change a series in a hurry.
Still, the Dodgers bring obvious problems. Their offense was elite in 2026, finishing in the top five in almost every major category.
They also matched Atlanta with 204 home runs, tied for seventh-most in baseball, and their lineup has a way of flipping a game fast. Braves fans have seen that before, and it’s exactly the kind of force that can overwhelm a pitching staff if things start to unravel.
And that’s the other concern for Atlanta: pitching depth. Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle give the Braves a strong top two, but after that, the margin gets thin and it turns into a bullpen-heavy path.
That’s a tough place to live against a team like Los Angeles, which has more starting options to deploy from game to game. The Dodgers’ bullpen wasn’t as strong as Atlanta’s in 2026, but it still posted a 3.74 ERA, which is plenty good enough to keep them in control if their starters do their job.
In Other News...
Braves Face A Massive Game 2 Decision After NLDS Opener
The Braves opened their NLDS against the Dodgers with a 5-3 loss, and the postgame discussion quickly turned from the scoreboard to how Atlanta manages what comes next. Walt Weiss spent much of his time talking through bullpen usage and the way the game unfolded, while also noting how difficult Los Angeles made things on offense with Tarik Skubal on the mound.
Now the attention shifts to Game 2, where Atlanta is staring at a significant pitching question with Chris Sales availability still unsettled. The Braves will need a sharper offensive night after struggling in the opener, but the bigger issue may be how Weiss pieces together the pitching plan if Sale is not available. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Fans Have Every Right To Question This October Pitching Call
Atlantas postseason pitching choices are under the microscope after Brian Snitker said the bullpen had been emptied in the previous game and that some arms were unavailable because of injury. The manager pointed to the idea of getting the relief group rested for the next night, which helps explain the roster management behind the move, but it does not make the decision feel any less consequential in the middle of October.
Chris Sale being available only sharpens the debate, because this was the kind of game where the Braves had every reason to lean on their best options rather than sort through lower-tier arms. Instead, they went in a direction that left plenty of room for second-guessing, and for a fan base used to thinking big in the postseason, that is exactly the kind of call that sticks. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Already Face A Bigger NLDS Problem Than The Game 1 Loss
The Braves left Dodger Stadium with a Game 1 loss, but the score may not have been the most concerning part of the night. Los Angeles got six innings of one-run ball from Tarik Skubal and three home runs from Teoscar Hernndez, Kyle Tucker and Max Muncy in a 5-3 win, all of it unfolding in near-record heat that made for a grinding October opener.
Sunday evening brings Game 2, and Atlanta now has to answer more than just the immediate damage on the scoreboard. The bigger concern is whether the Braves can settle in quickly enough against a Dodgers team that already looked comfortable, while also coping with conditions that made every inning feel heavier than usual. [Read more 🡒]