The Dodgers and Braves open a major series Monday night at Truist Park, and the stakes are already clear: Los Angeles leads Atlanta by four games for the No. 2 seed in the National League, but the Braves hold the season-series tiebreaker after taking two of three earlier this year.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn’t downplay that detail.
"Obviously, I think the season series matters, and hopefully, it doesn't come into play," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "They're a really good ball club. I think they're sort of scuffling right now, but we're going to get their best."
Los Angeles arrives in Atlanta on a roll after back-to-back sweeps of the Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates. The Braves, meanwhile, snapped out of a rough weekend by beating the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday after dropping the first two games of that series.
The Dodgers are also getting a boost on the mound. Right-hander Tyler Glasnow is back from the injured list after more than three months away, and there doesn’t appear to be any pitch-count restriction in his return.
Glasnow’s season was interrupted on May 6 against the Houston Astros, when he left after throwing a warm-up pitch because of back spasms. What was expected to be a short absence stretched into a long stint on the injured list.
Before the injury, he was 3-0 with a 2.72 ERA and 49 strikeouts over 39.2 innings. In four rehab starts, he posted a 1.32 ERA with 20 strikeouts over 13.2 innings.
“I’m just taking it like a normal start,” Glasnow said to The Athletic. “Whether this is the beginning of season or the end of season, I think it’s just a matter of getting on that routine and not making it any more than it needs to be.”
Atlanta counters with Bryce Elder, who is set for his 25th start of the year. Elder is 8-7 with a 3.92 ERA in 137.2 innings, and he already has one strong outing against Los Angeles on his résumé this season. On May 10, he threw 5.2 scoreless innings against the Dodgers, allowing one hit and four walks while striking out eight.
Los Angeles will also be without Teoscar Hernández, who is out of the lineup Tuesday. Alex Call is starting in left field.
First pitch for Dodgers-Braves on Tuesday, Aug. 25 is set for 4:15 p.m. PT/7:15 p.m.
ET. The game will air on SportsNet LA, with a special guest, and in the MLB app.
It will also be shown on TBS for out-of-market viewers. Radio coverage will be on AM570 in English and KTNQ 1020 AM in Spanish.
In Other News...
Dodgers Just Gave Another Dodger Stadium Spot A New Identity
The Dodgers keep finding new ways to reshape the in-stadium experience, and the latest one comes through a multi-year partnership with Kalshi. The company is now the teams official and exclusive prediction market partner, with its branding set to show up around Dodger Stadium as the club continues leaning into premium fan spaces and sponsor-driven upgrades.
The most visible change comes at the old Gold Glove Bar, which has been renamed the Kalshi 435 Club. The space includes a view into the Dodgers bullpen and can host up to 150 seated guests or 250 for receptions, making it another private-event option in a ballpark that has steadily expanded the ways fans can experience a game beyond their seats. [Read more 🡒]
Kik Hernndez Found An Unexpected Way To Handle Time Away
Time on the injured list can make even the busiest player feel disconnected from the daily rhythm of a season, so Kik Hernndez found a hobby that gives him something to chase. The Dodgers infielder has gotten into collecting trading cards, especially Pokmon cards, and the new routine has become more than just a distraction. He even started a channel called Pokikmon, turning the pastime into something he can share, and enjoy, with his daughter while he works through recovery.
The appeal is easy to see for a player trying to stay mentally engaged while the physical side sorts itself out. Hernndez has already landed some impressive pulls, including a Japanese Sabrinas Gengar graded 10, but the hunt is still part of the fun. One card remains on the wish list, and the fact that he is still looking for it says plenty about how much this has become a real project, not just a way to pass the time. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Suddenly Have Another Roki Sasaki Concern
Roki Sasakis latest start for the Dodgers took an unwelcome turn against the Braves when he left in the fourth inning with what appeared to be an injury, possibly a blister on one of his fingers. The right-hander had been working through the outing after allowing four runs on four hits while striking out three over 3.1 innings before Edgardo Hernandez came on to finish the frame.
For a team that has been trying to get Sasaki settled in, any interruption matters, especially one that raises questions about his hand. The Dodgers will be watching closely to see whether this is a brief setback or the kind of issue that lingers, because their rotation picture is already important enough without adding another concern around one of their most closely followed young arms. [Read more 🡒]