2 years ago
219
SERIES SCHEDULE (all times PT)
Game 1: astatine Braves, Saturday, 5:07 p.m., TBS
Game 2: astatine Braves, Sunday, 4:37 p.m., TBS
Game 3: astatine Dodgers, Tuesday, 2:08 p.m., TBS
x-Game 4: astatine Dodgers, Wednesday, 5:08 p.m., TBS
x-Game 5: astatine Dodgers, Thursday, 5:08 p.m., TBS
x-Game 6: astatine Braves, Oct. 23, 2:08 p.m. (5:08 if nary ALCS G7), TBS
x-Game 7: astatine Braves, Oct. 24, 4:38 p.m., TBS
x- if indispensable
Season series: The Dodgers won the regular-season series, 4-2.
TALE OF THE TAPE (OFFENSE)
Braves (NL rank) … class … Dodgers (NL rank)
88-73 (1st successful NL East) … grounds … 106-56 (2nd successful NL West)
790 (3rd) … Runs scored … 830 (1st)
.319 (6th) … OBP … .330 (2nd)
.435 (2nd) … Slugging Pct … .429 (4th)
.754 (T-4th) … OPS … .759 (T-2nd)
.244 (T-5th) … Batting Avg. … .244 (T-5th)
239 (2nd) … HRs … 237 (3rd)
59 (11th) … SBs … 65 (9th)
TALE OF THE TAPE (PITCHING)
Braves (NL rank) … class … Dodgers (NL rank)
3.88 (4th) … Team ERA … 3.01 (1st)
3.84 (4th) … Starters ERA … 2.93 (1st)
3.97 (6th) … Bullpen ERA … 3.16 (2nd)
1.32 (8th) … WHIP … 1.10 (1st)
9.04 (7th) … Ks per 9 inns … 9.91 (2nd)
PROJECTED LINEUPS
BRAVES: SS Dansby Swanson (.248/.311/.449, 27 HRs, 88 RBIs, 9 SBs), 1B Freddie Freeman (.300/.393/.503, 31 HRs, 83 RBIs), 2B Ozzie Albies (.259/.310/.488, 30 HRs, 106 RBIs, 20 SBs), 3B Austin Riley (.303/.367/.531, 33 HRs, 107 RBIs), RF Joc Pederson (.238/.310/.422, 18 HRs, 61 RBIs), LF Adam Duvall (.228/.281/.491, 38 HRs, 113 RBIs), C Travis d’Arnaud (.220/.284/.388, 7 HRs, 26 RBIs), CF Cristian Pache (.111/.152/.206, 1 HR, 4 RBIs) oregon Guillermo Heredia (.220/.311/.354, 5 HRs, 26 RBIs)
DODGERS: RF Mookie Betts (.264/.367/.487, 23 HRs, 58 RBIs, 93 runs, 10 SBs), SS Corey Seager (.306/.394/.521, 16 HRs, 57 RBIs), 2B Trea Turner (.328/.375/.536, 28 HRs, 77 RBIs, 107 runs, 32 SBs), 3B Justin Turner (.278/.361/.471, 27 HRs, 87 RBIs), C Will Smith (.258/.365/.495, 25 HRs, 76 RBIs), CF Gavin Lux (.242/.328/.364, 7 HRs, 46 RBIs), LF AJ Pollock (.297/.355/.536, 21 HRs, 69 RBIs), 1B Cody Bellinger (.165/.240/.302, 10 HRs, 36 RBIs)
The Braves mislaid their champion player, Ronald Acuña Jr., for the play erstwhile helium tore the ACL successful his close genu successful aboriginal July. They had already mislaid Marcell Ozuna to a manus wounded successful May, past helium was placed connected administrative permission pending an probe of a home unit incident. GM Alex Anthopoulos rebuilt the outfield astatine the commercialized deadline, acquiring Joc Pederson, Eddie Rosario, Adam Duvall and Jorge Soler (who remains successful COVID protocol arsenic the NLCS begins). But it has been the champion infield successful shot that has carried the offense. Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson and Austin Riley combined for 121 location runs with 2020 MVP Freeman (El Modena High), Albies and Riley each worthy of MVP information this season. Even with the Acuña and Ozuna losses, the Braves were arsenic potent arsenic immoderate discourtesy successful the National League down the Giants and Dodgers.
Six games into their postseason run, the Dodgers person learned 1 happening for definite astir their lineup – it is not the aforesaid without Max Muncy (out with an injured elbow). They were unopen retired doubly by the Giants successful the NLDS, but they showed up often capable to triumph that series. EDGE: EVEN
STARTING PITCHERS
BRAVES: LH Max Fried (14-7, 3.04 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 8.6 Ks per 9 IP), RH Charlie Morton (14-6, 3.34 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 10.5 Ks per 9 IP), RH Ian Anderson (9-5, 3.58 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 8.7 Ks per 9 IP), RH Huascar Ynoa (4-6, 4.05 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 9.9 Ks per 9 IP) oregon LH Drew Smyly (11-4, 4.48 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 8.3 Ks per 9 IP)
DODGERS: RH Max Scherzer (15-4, 2.46 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 11.8 Ks per 9 IP), RH Walker Buehler (16-4, 2.47 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 9.2 Ks per 9 IP), LH Julio Urias (20-3, 2.96 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 9.5 Ks per 9 IP), RH Tony Gonsolin (4-1, 3.23 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 10.5 Ks per 9 IP)
When these 2 teams met successful the NLCS a twelvemonth ago, the Braves’ starting pitching had dissolved connected them. Rookies Ian Anderson, Kyle Wright and Bryse Wilson started games against the Dodgers. Only Anderson volition marque the sequel. Wright spent astir of 2021 successful Triple-A portion Wilson was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 2 veterans – Max Fried and Charlie Morton – are the Braves’ champion hopes to get a ascendant pitching performance. Former Harvard-Westlake prima Fried volition commencement the bid opener. He led the majors with a 1.74 ERA aft the All-Star break, going 8-2 with 13 prime starts successful 14 outings, past helium threw six shutout innings with 9 strikeouts successful Atlanta’s Game 2 triumph against Milwaukee successful the NLDS. Morton has go an outstanding postseason performer with a 2.52 ERA implicit his past 8 appearances – including 3 World Series outings against the Dodgers (two successful 2017 with the Houston Astros, 1 past twelvemonth with Tampa Bay). Beyond those three, however, the Braves could edifice to a “bullpen game” astatine slightest once.
The Braves aren’t unsocial successful being incapable to lucifer the Dodgers’ starting trio of Max Scherzer, Walker Buehler and Julio Urias. Those 3 springiness the Dodgers a limb up successful immoderate postseason bid – adjacent if apt Game 1 starter Scherzer volition beryllium starting the opener 2 days aft his “Party tonight, fig it retired tomorrow” pledge successful San Francisco. EDGE: DODGERS
BULLPEN
BRAVES: LH Will Smith (3-7, 3.44 ERA, 37 saves, 6 blown saves, 1.13 WHIP, 11.5 Ks per 9 IP), RH Jesse Chavez (3-2, 2.14 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 9.8 Ks per 9 IP), LH Tyler Matzek (0-4, 2.57 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 11.0 Ks per 9 IP), RH Luke Jackson (2-2, 1.98 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 9.9 Ks per 9 IP), LH A.J. Minter (3-6, 3.78 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 9.8 Ks per 9 IP), RH Chris Martin (2-4, 3.95 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 6.9 Ks per 9 IP), LH Dylan Lee (0-0, 9.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 13.5 Ks per 9 IP), RH Jacob Webb (5-4, 4.19 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 8.7 Ks per 9 IP), RH Richard Rodriguez (5-4, 2.94 ERA, 14 saves, 3 blown saves, 0.93 WHIP, 5.9 Ks per 9 IP)
DODGERS: RH Kenley Jansen (4-4, 2.22 ERA, 38 saves, 5 blown saves, 1.04 WHIP, 11.2 Ks per 9 IP), RH Blake Treinen (6-5, 7 saves, 1.99 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 10.6 Ks per 9 IP), RH Corey Knebel (4-0, 2.45 ERA, 3 saves, 0.97 WHIP, 10.5 Ks per 9 IP), RH Brusdar Graterol (3-0, 4.59 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 7.3 Ks per 9 IP), RH Joe Kelly (2-0, 2.86 ERA, 2 saves, 0.98 WHIP, 10.2 Ks per 9 IP), LH Alex Vesia (3-1, 2.25 ERA, 1 save, 0.98, 12.2 Ks per 9 IP), RH Phil Bickford (4-2, 2.81 ERA, 1 save, 1.07 WHIP, 10.3 Ks per 9 IP), LH David Price (5-2, 4.03 ERA, 1 save, 1.43 WHIP, 7.1 Ks per 9 IP)
The Braves’ bullpen was an unremarkable radical for astir of the play but it has travel unneurotic of late. During their four-game NLDS triumph implicit the Brewers, the quintet of Jesse Chavez, A.J. Minter, Luke Jackson, Tyler Matzek (Capistrano Valley High) and person Will Smith combined for 13-2/3 scoreless innings with 17 strikeouts and lone 9 hits allowed. They unopen retired the Brewers successful the 2 mediate games.
The Dodgers’ bullpen, meanwhile, has fixed Manager Dave Roberts much options than helium has ever had successful a erstwhile postseason. From Brusdar Graterol throwing 102.5 mph (as helium did successful Game 4) to Blake Treinen’s otherworldly worldly and Kenley Jansen (pitching arsenic good arsenic helium has successful a postseason since 2017), the Dodgers contiguous superior problems for opposing teams precocious successful games. Counting Corey Knebel’s “opening” enactment and Scherzer’s one-inning prevention (but not counting Urias’ mid-game start), Dodgers relievers pitched 22 innings successful the wild-card crippled and five-game NLDS, allowing 3 runs (a 1.23 ERA) connected 12 hits and 2 walks portion striking retired 26. EDGE: DODGERS
BENCH
BRAVES: IF Orlando Arcia (.214/.282/.343, 2 HRs, 13 RBIs), IF-OF Eddie Rosario (.259/.305/.435, 14 HRs, 62 RBIs), OF Heredia oregon Pache, IF-OF Ehire Adrianza (.247/.327/.401, 5 HRs, 28 RBIs), C William Contreras (.215/.303/.399, 8 HRs, 23 RBIs), OF Jorge Soler (.223/.316/.432, 27 HRs, 70 RBIs)
DODGERS: IF-OF Chris Taylor (.254/.344/.438, 20 HRs, 73 RBIs, 13 SBs), C Austin Barnes (.215/.299/.345, 6 HRs), 1B Albert Pujols (.236/.284/.433, 17 HRs, 50 RBIs), 1B Matt Beaty (.270/.363/.402, 7 HRs, 40 RBIs), 1B-OF Billy McKinney (.192/.280/.358, 9 HRs, 27 RBIs), OF Steven Souza Jr. (.152/.222/.333, 1 HR, 3 RBIs)
There is simply a accidental Soler tin instrumentality from the COVID protocols astatine immoderate constituent during the NLCS. If helium does, the Braves’ seat becomes stronger. But the lone existent menace among the radical is Pederson, who tin beryllium deployed arsenic a pinch-hitter erstwhile helium doesn’t commencement against a Dodgers lefty (Urias). Albert Pujols volition apt get a commencement against Fried oregon Smyly (if helium starts a game), and Chris Taylor volition apt find himself successful the starting lineup astatine times with AJ Pollock connected the bench. EDGE: DODGERS
MANAGERS
BRAVES: Brian Snitker, sixth play (441-390, .531), 4th postseason (14-11, .560)
DODGERS: Dave Roberts, sixth play (542-330, .622), sixth postseason (39-27, .591)
With a agelong vocation successful the insignificant leagues down him, Snitker was an unexpected old-school prime arsenic the Braves manager. But helium has had a winning touch. The Braves person won 4 consecutive NL East titles nether his leadership. Only 7 managers person led their squad to 4 oregon much consecutive first-place finishes (division oregon league) – including Bobby Cox with the Braves and … Roberts with the Dodgers.
By contrast, Roberts is precise overmuch a new-age manager. Obscured by the dense manus of the beforehand bureau successful regular decision-making are immoderate of his assets – including an openness to the ideas projected by the beforehand bureau and an quality to merchantability his players connected those ideas. EDGE: DODGERS
SERIES PREDICTION
If the Braves were inactive successful the NL West (as they were from 1969 done 1993, defying geography), they would person finished 18 games down the Dodgers and 19 down the Giants. But 88 wins were capable to instrumentality the rubric successful an NL East wherever lone 1 different squad had a winning grounds (the 82-80 Phillies). Like the Dodgers’ wild-card opponent, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Braves saved their champion for last, going 36-18 aft Aug. 1 and past eliminating the Brewers successful 4 games successful their NLDS. The Dodgers are not the weak-hitting Brewers, however, and mightiness person already survived what was the toughest situation they volition look this postseason. PICK: DODGERS IN SIX
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