The Atlanta Braves head into Game 3 of their National League Division Series tied 1-1 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and first-year manager Walt Weiss isn’t interested in the outside noise about whether his team belongs here.
Weiss said he understands the doubters, but he’s not giving that storyline much weight.
“When you look at our season, we got to the end of spring training and we lost 4 starters, the projections I saw in March, nobody had us making the playoffs,” Weiss said, per Dodgers Nation. “It’s been an amazing season, there’s been so many opportunities and guys have flourished. I get the narrative.”
Atlanta now turns to Chris Sale for Tuesday’s start, while the Dodgers counter with Yoshinobu Yamamoto in what should be a high-level pitching matchup. Sale is eager to take the ball and attack the moment.
“I have too much respect for the game of baseball; I've got too much respect for those guys on the other side of the field to think, because of a previous experience, that the next one was going to be anything other than a grind,” Sale said, per MLB.com. “This is playoff baseball. That's a helluva team across the way.
“I'm just preparing for another grind. I'm preparing for another battle and just got to go leave it all on the field. However it shakes out, that's how it shakes out.”
Sale’s regular season was strong: a 2.16 ERA and 14 wins. He has also made two postseason appearances so far.
With the series knotted and Sale on the mound, Braves fans are hoping Tuesday night can swing the momentum their way. Game 3 is set for 6:00 ET.
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 🡒]