By dropping Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Sunday night, the Dodgers pushed the next trip to Dodger Stadium into uncertainty. The series is tied at one game apiece, and Atlanta now holds home-field advantage for the next two games at Truist Park. For the Dodgers to come back to Chavez Ravine this season, they have to take at least one game in Atlanta.
The clearest path is Friday, October 9, for NLDS Game 5 against the Braves. That would be the result if the teams split the two games in Atlanta, sending the series back to Los Angeles for a winner-take-all finale.
There is also a longer shot: Sunday, October 11, for NLCS Game 1 against the Padres. That would require a lot to break right. The Dodgers would need to win the NLDS by taking both games in Atlanta, and the Padres would have to rally from their 2-0 deficit against the Brewers by winning the next three games.
Another possibility is Wednesday, October 14, for NLCS Game 3 against the Brewers. Milwaukee owns the best record in baseball at 103-59 and would open any series at home, which means the Brewers would need to advance first. For this to happen, the Dodgers would also have to win two straight in Atlanta and avoid a return to Los Angeles for a Game 5 in the NLDS.
If the Dodgers lose both games in Atlanta, their 2026 season is over. Opening day is set for next March 26 at Dodger Stadium, though that comes with a major caveat: a lockout is expected once the collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1, followed by a long fight between the owners and players over a new CBA. Whether next season starts on time remains an open question.
In Other News...
Dodgers Let NLDS Control Slip Away After Another Offensive Letdown
Blake Snells afternoon never found a rhythm, and the Dodgers could not do enough offensively to take advantage of the opening it created. Los Angeles dropped a 3-2 decision to the Braves in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, a result that evened the series at one game apiece and left the Dodgers searching for the timely hit that has been missing too often in October.
Snell issued a season-high five walks, and the game turned on a chaotic stretch that included a wild pitch from Braves reliever Kris Bubic before Atlanta grabbed the go-ahead run. Freddie Freeman also came through for the Braves with a home run, his first since Sept. 2, adding another swing that helped flip the momentum and leave the Dodgers with a split instead of control. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Face A Lineup Decision That Could Test Braves In Game 3
After getting bottled up by the Braves in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, the Dodgers are staring at a familiar October problem: how to jolt an offense that went quiet when it needed to answer back. Atlanta leaned on multiple pitchers to keep Los Angeles in check, and now Dave Roberts is weighing a lineup tweak for Game 3 as the series shifts into a more urgent phase for a team trying to avoid elimination.
The concern centers on center fielder Andy Pages, whose postseason struggles have become hard to ignore, and that has opened the door for Enrique Hernandez to potentially step in and give the lineup a different look. Hernandez has earned a reputation as a reliable October bat, which is part of what makes this decision so interesting for the Dodgers, who need more than just better at-bats now - they need a spark that can change the feel of the series. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Suddenly Face A Real Andy Pages Lineup Dilemma
Andy Pages arrived at October with the kind of profile the Dodgers hoped would translate, but through two postseason games he has not found much traction. He has gone hitless in eight plate appearances, drawing one walk and striking out four times, and the swing-and-miss issues have stood out even more because they are so far above his regular-season norms. For a Dodgers lineup built to keep pressure on opposing pitching, that kind of drop-off from a regular contributor quickly becomes hard to ignore.
Dave Roberts has already made one adjustment by limiting Pages ability to challenge calls, a small but telling sign that the club is trying to manage both the player and the moment. If the struggles continue, the Dodgers do not appear short on alternatives, which only adds to the tension around Pages spot. In October, even a young hitter with legitimate upside can find himself one rough stretch away from a lineup debate. [Read more 🡒]