MLB POWER RANKINGS IT THE DODGES AT THE TOP
Promotional graphic for the 2026 NLDS featuring baseball players from the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers, with MLB, Booking.com, and FOX logos.
The Los Angeles Dodgers open their bid for a third consecutive World Series championship Saturday when they host the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of the 2026 National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium. The Braves arrive after outlasting the Philadelphia Phillies in a three-game Wild Card Series and now aim to stop baseball’s modern October powerhouse.
First pitch is set for 4 p.m. ET, 1 p.m. PT. FOX, FOX Deportes and FOX One will air the series opener nationally. The best-of-five series begins with two games in Los Angeles before shifting to Atlanta for Games 3 and, if needed, Game 4.
Suggested featured-image caption: The Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers open the 2026 National League Division Series Saturday at Dodger Stadium.
Dodgers Begin Their Historic Three-Peat Push
Three Los Angeles Dodgers players wearing white home jerseys and blue caps with the LA logo, standing in a baseball stadium at sunset with a crowd in the background and baseballs in the foreground.
Los Angeles enters the NLDS with championship expectations and a roster that remains unmatched in star power. The Dodgers have won back-to-back World Series titles and reached the postseason for 14 straight seasons. They now seek a third consecutive championship, a historic achievement that would reinforce their decade-long October dominance.
Shohei Ohtani leads a Dodgers lineup built to overwhelm opponents from the first inning. Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Kyle Tucker, Teoscar Hernández, Max Muncy, Andy Pages and Tommy Edman give Los Angeles length, playoff experience and multiple ways to score. MLB’s projected Game 1 batting order places Ohtani, Betts and Freeman in the first three spots, creating a demanding first-inning test for Atlanta’s pitching staff.
Suggested Dodgers image caption: Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and the Dodgers’ championship-tested core begin their 2026 World Series three-peat pursuit against Atlanta.
Freeman adds a powerful personal storyline against his former franchise. The veteran first baseman remains one of the most dependable October hitters in baseball, while Ohtani and Betts provide the top-end talent that can tilt any game quickly.
Yamamoto Anchors Elite Dodgers Rotation
The Dodgers have not officially named a Game 1 starter, but Yoshinobu Yamamoto stands as the clear projected choice. Starting Yamamoto in the opener would put him in line to return on normal rest for a potential Game 5. Opponents hit only .182 against Yamamoto during the regular season, the third-lowest average among qualified Major League pitchers.
Suggested Dodgers pitching image caption: Yoshinobu Yamamoto projects as the Dodgers’ Game 1 starter and could line up for a potential Game 5 appearance.
Los Angeles can follow Yamamoto with Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. That four-man group gives manager Dave Roberts the deepest starting-pitching inventory in the postseason. MLB’s position-by-position analysis called the Dodgers’ rotation the tournament’s greatest pitching advantage.
GameLos Angeles Dodgers projected starterAtlanta Braves projected starterGame 1, Oct. 3Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHPTBD; Grant Holmes or J.R. Ritchie could start, possibly after an opener. Game 2, Oct. 4Tarik Skubal, LHP or Blake Snell, LHPChris Sale, LHP, expected to be available.Game 3, Oct. 6Blake Snell, LHP or Tarik Skubal, LHPTyler Mahle, RHP, expected to be available. Game 4, if neededTyler Glasnow, RHPGrant Holmes, RHP or a bullpen-driven plan. Game 5, if neededYoshinobu Yamamoto, RHPChris Sale, LHP, subject to workload and availability.
The Dodgers must capitalize on their starting-pitching edge. Atlanta’s rotation has absorbed injuries, but the Braves still have enough postseason experience and bullpen depth to make each game uncomfortable.
Braves Counter With Acuña, Olson and October Confidence
Atlanta brings a lineup that can match Los Angeles in pressure situations. Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, Michael Harris II, Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley and rookie catcher Drake Baldwin form the core of a Braves attack that defeated Philadelphia despite a depleted rotation.
Suggested Braves image caption: Chris Sale and the Braves need a strong pitching response to slow the Dodgers’ three-peat pursuit in the NLDS.
Acuña remains Atlanta’s most disruptive offensive force. He can change innings with speed, power and elite on-base ability. Olson supplies left-handed power in the middle of the lineup, while Harris gives the Braves a dynamic defender and a threat to create extra bases. Riley and Albies provide postseason experience and the ability to punish mistakes.
The Braves also hold an important historical edge in this rivalry. Atlanta eliminated the Dodgers in the 2021 National League Championship Series before winning the World Series. That history does not erase Los Angeles’ current advantage, but it gives Atlanta a recent reminder that its stars can beat the Dodgers in October.
Braves Must Survive Game 1 Pitching Test
Atlanta has not announced its Game 1 starter. Chris Sale cannot start before Game 2, Tyler Mahle will not be available before Game 3 and Martín Pérez cannot return before Game 3 because of back inflammation. Grant Holmes, J.R. Ritchie or a left-handed opener followed by Holmes or Ritchie remain the leading options.
The Braves need an efficient opening-game pitching plan against an order that starts with Ohtani, Betts and Freeman. If Atlanta can avoid an early deficit, turn the game over to its bullpen and create scoring chances against Yamamoto, it can make the series far more competitive than the rotation comparison suggests.
Los Angeles owns the home field, the star power and the deeper rotation. Atlanta brings momentum, postseason toughness and a lineup capable of ending the Dodgers’ title reign. Game 1 will reveal whether the Dodgers’ path toward a third straight championship begins with control or whether the Braves can deliver October’s first major upset.