A postseason matchup with Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Chris Sale on the mound is already rare enough. In Game 3 of the National League Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves, it will carry a place in MLB history before either pitch is thrown.
Sarah Langs noted that the meeting will mark only the third postseason starting-pitcher matchup in history between hurlers who had previously gotten the final out of a World Series.
“Chris Sale vs Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be the 3rd SP matchup in postseason history between pitchers who had previously gotten the final out of a World Series, joining: 1938 WS G2 Dizzy Dean, Lefty Gomez 1911 (and) WS G3 Christy Mathewson, Jack Coombs,” Langs reported.
That alone makes Tuesday night feel different, but the baseball angle is just as strong. Yamamoto and Sale are both among the game’s best arms, and both entered the year as National League Cy Young candidates. Neither is expected to win the 2026 Cy Young, with Jacob Misiorowski now the clear favorite, but the talent level here still points to the kind of tight, low-scoring game that can swing a playoff series.
The NLDS is tied 1-1 after Los Angeles opened with a 5-3 win at home and Atlanta answered with a 3-2 victory at Dodger Stadium. That road split gave the Braves what they came for: at least one win away from home.
Now the series moves to Atlanta, where the Dodgers have to get at least one victory to stay alive. They can still win the series by taking two on the road, but at minimum they need to force a Game 5 back in Los Angeles.
Game 3 is set for 6 PM ET, and all signs point to a pitcher’s duel.
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 🡒]