A fresh four-game series kicks off on Friday, featuring two National League teams with playoff ambitions. The Los Angeles Dodgers (87-59, 1st in NL West) are set to face the Atlanta Braves (79-67, 3rd in NL East) in Georgia. Both squads enjoyed a day off on Thursday before this matchup. The Dodgers recently dropped two of three games to the Cubs, while the Braves split a brief two-game series with the Nationals. Earlier this season, the teams met in May, with the Dodgers sweeping the Braves in a three-game series at home. For this clash, Los Angeles will hand the ball to Landon Knack (3.00 ERA), while Atlanta counters with Spencer Schwellenbach (3.78 ERA). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:20 PM from Truist Park, Atlanta, and fans can catch the action on Apple TV+.
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Dodgers Maintain Stronghold in the West
The Los Angeles Dodgers have consistently held the top position in the NL West for most of the season and appear poised to clinch the division title as the regular season winds down. With a five-game cushion over the Diamondbacks, the Dodgers are in a comfortable position. Despite their solid performance, they faced setbacks in their recent series against the Cubs, winning only one of three games. They managed to avoid a sweep in the final match, thanks to a stellar outing from Shohei Ohtani, who hit a home run and drove in three RBIs.
The Dodgers struggled with their command, walking ten batters in the victory. Max Muncy, the team’s third baseman, expressed the challenges the team faced, saying, “It was frustrating again, but it’s baseball. Not everything is going to be clicking at the same time. We had guys battling up there, and it was good to see everyone not giving up.” Ohtani continues his pursuit of being the first player to achieve a 50 home run-50 stolen base season, currently sitting at 47 home runs and 48 stolen bases. Tommy Edman, a seldom-used center fielder, contributed two home runs in the team’s last game against Chicago, despite having only four home runs for the season overall. Mookie Betts has rejoined the lineup but went 0-4 in Wednesday’s game; however, he had hits in each of his previous ten appearances.
Landon Knack is set to make his 10th start of the season. At 27 years old, this right-hander holds a 2-3 record with a 3.00 ERA. He has recorded 52 strikeouts against 13 walks while allowing ten home runs this year. In his previous outing, Knack pitched six innings, surrendering two earned runs in a loss to the Guardians.
Braves Battling for a Wild Card Spot
The Atlanta Braves are currently vying for the final playoff spot in the National League. As they sit one game behind the Mets for the last Wild Card position, the pressure mounts. The second-place team in the NL East is likely to secure a Wild Card berth, while the NL West is expected to claim the other two spots. Recently, the Braves split a two-game series against the Nationals, winning decisively 12-0 in the first game but falling 5-1 in the second. Jorge Soler provided the only run in their last game against Washington with an RBI-double in the sixth inning.
Soler, acquired from the Giants in a midseason trade, has hit 17 home runs this season, though only five have come since joining Atlanta. Batting in the second spot of the lineup, he took over right field on Wednesday. Marcell Ozuna, who leads the team with 37 home runs and 98 RBIs, had an off night, going 0-4 against the Nationals, which is unusual for the designated hitter, who boasts a .303 batting average. Center fielder Michael Harris II has contributed 11 home runs and 37 RBIs this season and recently moved to the leadoff position in the batting order.
Spencer Schwellenbach is scheduled to make his 18th start of the season. At 24 years old, he has a record of 5-7 with a 3.78 ERA. Despite a solid strikeout-to-walk ratio of 107 strikeouts to 19 walks, the Braves have lost his last two starts. Schwellenbach has allowed 12 home runs this season, and in his most recent appearance, he pitched five innings while giving up three earned runs to the Blue Jays in a loss.
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Betting Insights for Dodgers vs. Braves
In this matchup, neither team is fielding their ace pitcher, but the Dodgers have the advantage with Knack on the mound, who has shown improvement in recent outings. The Braves will rely on Schwellenbach, who struggled in his last start, allowing ten hits and six runs in just five innings against the Blue Jays. Knack has not given up more than three earned runs in his last four starts, boasting a 2.70 ERA over the past month. This performance has solidified his place in the Dodgers’ starting rotation for the remainder of the season.
Los Angeles features a potent offense, ranking third in the league in runs scored. Facing Schwellenbach, who is coming off a tough outing, they will aim to secure a win to inch closer to clinching the NL West title. A victory in this game would significantly bolster their chances of achieving that goal.
