Braves Open NLDS Against Back-to-Back Champion Dodgers Saturday

Atlanta advanced past Philadelphia and now faces the two-time defending champion Dodgers, with Game 1 pitching plans unsettled and outfielder Lane Thomas a possibility to return.

The Atlanta Braves' October continues with a National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, starting Saturday at Dodger Stadium. Atlanta advanced by winning its Wild Card series against the Philadelphia Phillies, and the degree of difficulty rises sharply from here: Los Angeles is the back-to-back defending champion.

Atlanta took five of six regular-season meetings between the clubs this year, a record that carries no weight now that the games count in the postseason. Los Angeles is expected to be favored in the series, though the Braves have gotten the better of this opponent in October before, in 2021.

Scoring early sits near the top of Atlanta's checklist. The 2023 club set the standard with 947 first-inning runs, 41 more than any other team, and the 2026 version again finished in the top ten in that category with 742. Given the questions surrounding Atlanta's pitching, the lineup's ability to jump ahead against one of baseball's best staffs takes on extra importance.

That Dodgers staff grew more formidable at the trade deadline with the addition of Tarik Skubal, who is scheduled to start Game 1. Atlanta's pitching picture is murkier: after the way arms were used against Philadelphia, it is unclear who will be available for the opener in Los Angeles. The Braves did see quality pitching in the Wild Card round, but how the staff is deployed in this series remains an open question.

Help will not come from two injured pitchers. Walt Weiss said neither Bryce Elder nor Martín Pérez will be on the NLDS roster. Pérez, sidelined by a back injury, becomes eligible to return October 6, and both he and Elder could be ready if the Braves move on to the National League Championship Series.

A boost for the lineup is still possible. Lane Thomas, on the injured list since early September with a strained intercostal muscle, was picked up at the deadline to add left-handed hitting down the stretch, and Weiss called him a possibility for this series. His bat and speed could be factors, and any activation from the injured list would deepen the roster against Los Angeles.

Atlanta's path, as framed heading into the series, requires at least one win in the first two games on the road. Chris Sale is expected to start Game 2 after his relief appearance in Game 3 against Philadelphia, and the ace said he will be ready. A split would give the Braves a chance to finish the five-game series at home in Games 3 and 4, a result that could reshape the matchup, and if Atlanta wins the opener, Weiss would face a decision on pushing Sale and Tyler Mahle back to the two games in Atlanta.

Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday, October 3, at Dodger Stadium, with first pitch at 4:00 PM EDT. The game airs on FOX.