It is hard to believe that we are already at the middle mark of the National League Division Series. Winners of Game 3 of the series go on to win about 72% of the time when teams come into the match tied 1-1. I don’t think many more words need to be written to state the importance of this game. That is the situation facing the Dodgers and Braves today. It isn’t a death sentence by any means, but one team will move forward with their backs against the wall, and another will be in a bit more control.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been one of the best teams in baseball for years. They’ve won the past two World Series, they’ve gotten big name after big name and they continue to push to keep winning more trophies. Every fan should want their team to be like the Dodgers. A season after winning the World Series for the second straight year, they went out and signed the best closer available — a weakness for the team — and the best hitter available. Not only that, but they went out and traded for the best pitcher on the market, Tarik Skubal.
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Investing in your team is what should be done, not something other franchises should be jealous of. Prior to the additions this year, they’ve obviously added key pieces to help them nab two World Series trophies. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who starts this evening for them, is one addition who certainly helped last season. He took home the World Series MVP trophy and was arguably their best player in the entire postseason. He allowed just six earned runs over 37.1 innings, including two complete games and a major stretch Game 7. Braves hitters haven’t done all that well against Yamamoto, batting just .196 over 51 at-bats.
The Atlanta Braves had a down season last year, but came back with vengeance this year. For all intents and purposes, they led the National League East for the entire season. Sure, the Phillies may have taken a lead briefly, but they couldn’t hold on to it the way that Atlanta did. It is actually a bit surprising they’ve been this successful, considering their pitching staff has suffered all sorts of injuries this year. Those who are available have seemed to step up.
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Tonight, the guy who has been most reliable, Chris Sale, is taking the mound for the Braves in this pivotal game. Sale in the postseason has appeared in two games, going 7.2 innings, allowing five hits, and striking out 12 hitters. Sale pitched in Game 1 for the Braves, going six innings. He also threw in Game 3 on short rest, but today would be normal rest for him. Most Dodgers hitters have struggled against Sale in his career. Mookie Betts has been good against him, but without him, the Dodgers are 21-for-122.
This is probably as close to a pick’em as you’re going to get in the playoffs. That’s what happens when you get two great teams facing off. The Braves are 23 games above .500 at home, but the Dodgers are no slouches on the road. I honestly believe this game could go either way, but I feel like the Dodgers are the correct side. Most of this is because Sale had to throw in Game 3, and I do think that can alter his rest a bit, even with the time between then and now. Yamamoto seems to be a big-game pitcher as well. Give me Los Angeles.
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