The Braves and Dodgers will meet Tuesday night at Truist Park for Game 3 of the National League Division Series, and Atlanta walks in with the series tied 1-1 after a 3-2 win in Game 2. Chris Sale is slated to start for the Braves, giving the home club a boost as it looks to grab control of the matchup.
But the baseball story that will hang over the night has nothing to do with the pitching matchup. It’s Freddie Freeman.
Freeman hasn’t worn a Braves uniform since 2021, the year he helped lead Atlanta to a championship before leaving in free agency and landing with the Dodgers. He spent 2010-2021 with the Braves, and plenty of fans still greet him warmly when he comes back to Atlanta.
That raises the obvious question for Tuesday: what kind of reception should Freeman get?
There’s a strong case that some boos are coming. Freeman didn’t just leave Atlanta - he left to join one of the Braves’ biggest rivals in the National League, and he has since helped lead Los Angeles to back-to-back championships. At the same time, he’s been away long enough that the old nostalgia may not hit quite as hard as it once did.
Even so, a full-on hostile reaction feels unlikely. Freeman remains a well-liked player, and the more probable outcome is a mixed one rather than anything ugly. The most realistic expectation is that Truist Park gives him a mostly warm welcome, with at least a few boos mixed in when his name is announced.
Meanwhile, Atlanta has its own first baseman firmly in place now. Matt Olson has been steady and dependable for the Braves, playing every day and giving them a real chance to win. Olson was originally traded from the Athletics, then stayed in Atlanta by signing a long-term extension.
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 🡒]