The Dodgers and Braves are back on a postseason collision course, this time in the National League Division Series.
Los Angeles, the NL West champion, has had time to reset and now opens its run at a World Series three-peat against Atlanta. The Braves, meanwhile, survived the only Wild Card series that went the distance, beating the rival Phillies in a decisive Game 3 to move on.
It’s the first postseason meeting between the clubs since 2021, when the 88-win Braves knocked out a Dodgers team that had won 106 games in the regular season in the NLCS before going on to beat the Astros in the World Series.
The star power gap is obvious, but that’s hardly the only thing hanging over this series. The bigger question in every Division Series is whether the bye helps the higher seed or leaves it less sharp than a team that just survived a hard-fought round.
This could wind up being the most watched series of the round. Here’s the full schedule and how to watch.
Games in the Dodgers vs. Braves series will air nationally on FS1 or Fox.
Fans can also stream the games with DIRECTV, which offers a free trial to new subscribers. Another streaming option for every game of the series is fubo, which also offers a free trial so you can try before you buy.
MLB postseason schedule 2026
Tue., Sept. 29 - Wild Card series begin
Sat., Oct. 3 - Division Series begin
Sun., Oct. 11 - NLCS begins
Mon., Oct. 12 - ALCS begins
Fri., Oct. 23 - World Series begins
In Other News...
Braves Fans Had To Love How Fast This Phillies Jinx Backfired
The broadcast booth did Atlanta a favor in Game 3 of the National League wild-card series, even if not by design. Joey Votto, in his first season as an in-game analyst after a long run as a player, suggested the Braves would not score again, only for Atlanta to answer with two runs later in the inning and turn the prediction into instant bulletin-board material.
For Braves fans, it was the kind of jinx that aged badly almost immediately and made for a small but satisfying subplot in a tense postseason game. Vottos stint in the role is limited to the wild-card round, since NBC does not have rights beyond that stage, so the misfire came in a brief audition that the Braves and their supporters will remember for the wrong reason. [Read more 🡒]
Braves May Have Created A Huge Chris Sale Problem Before Dodgers Series
Chris Sale gave the Braves exactly the kind of punch they needed in Game 3, even if it came in an unusual spot. After being lined up to start Game 2 and having already thrown 95 pitches two days earlier, Sale volunteered to come out of the bullpen and delivered 1 sharp innings in relief, striking out Bryce Harper and Otto Lopez as Atlanta grabbed the postseason win over the Phillies.
The immediate reward was obvious, but the longer-term cost is now part of the conversation as the Division Series shifts to the Dodgers. Walt Weiss said Sale stepped up when the Braves needed him, and that kind of flexibility matters in October, yet it also raises a real question about what he has left if Atlanta needs him again soon in a much bigger series. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Catch A Huge NLDS Break As Braves Rotation Thins
The Braves pitching plan took a hit before the National League Division Series even got underway, with Martn Prez landing on the 15-day injured list because of lower back inflammation. Manager Walt Weiss said Prez will not be available against the Dodgers, though there is still a chance he could return if Atlanta keeps moving into the NLCS. For a rotation already needing to cover a lot of ground in October, losing a veteran arm at this stage changes the shape of the series.
Atlanta will have to piece together innings with other options, including AJ Smith-Shawver and JR Ritchie, and that puts even more pressure on a staff trying to navigate one of the postseasons toughest lineups. The Dodgers were already a demanding matchup, and now the Braves have to find a way through it without one of the pitchers they were counting on to help steady the middle of games. [Read more 🡒]