Braves face Dodgers in NLDS Game 1 following Wild Card win
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 03: A general view of the field prior to game one of the National League Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on October 03, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by
LOS ANGELES - The Atlanta Braves travel to Los Angeles to open the National League Division Series (NLDS) against the Dodgers on Saturday afternoon following a series-clinching Wild Card victory.
What we know:
Game 1 of the best-of-five NLDS takes place Saturday at 4 p.m. EDT at Dodger Stadium.
Left-hander Dylan Dodd takes the mound for Atlanta, while Tarik Skubal gets the start for Los Angeles.
Atlanta earned its spot in the divisional round after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series on Thursday at Truist Park. In that elimination game, Michael Harris II set the tone with a three-run homer in the first inning, Ozzie Albies added a two-run shot in the fourth, and Matt Olson provided a late solo homer. Reliever Ray Kerr pitched 3.1 scoreless innings before ace Chris Sale entered in the eighth to seal the win.
The Dodgers finished first in the NL West with a 100-62 record, while the Braves won the NL East at 94-68. Despite LA's higher win total, Atlanta dominated the regular-season series between the clubs, winning five of their six meetings.
Key contributors include Shohei Ohtani, who hit 30 home runs and drove in 81 RBIs during the regular season, and Mookie Betts, who is batting 15-for-38 over his past 10 games.
Michael Harris II leads Atlanta's offensive attack with a .294 batting average, 36 doubles, and 26 home runs on the season.
What we don't know:
Both rosters enter the series severely depleted by pitching injuries. Atlanta is missing key arms including Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Reynaldo Lopez, while the Dodgers have several relievers and starters on the 60-day injured list.
What's next:
First pitch for Game 1 is scheduled for 4 p.m. EDT on Saturday in Los Angeles.
The series continues in Los Angeles for Game 2 before shifting to Truist Park in Atlanta for Game 3.
The Source: The information in this story came from game reports and statistics provided by the Associated Press and previous FOX 5 reporting.