The Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves are set to clash in a significant National League matchup, with both teams vying for crucial playoff positioning. Dodgers' pitcher Roki Sasaki will face off against the Braves' AJ Smith-Shawver.
The Dodgers have emerged as one of baseball's strongest teams, becoming the second club to reach 80 wins this season. While they are on track to win the National League West, they are also competing with the Milwaukee Brewers for the top seed in both the National League and the entire league. The team is performing well despite some key players being unavailable, including Will Smith, Shohei Ohtani (pitching), and Dalton Rushing, with Kyle Tucker experiencing a performance slump. The pitching staff, though dealing with injuries, is showing signs of improvement.
Los Angeles has an exceptionally deep roster, with Tyler Glasnow currently serving as their fifth starter, a position that would likely be first string for most other teams. Due to ongoing player availability and management of the pitching staff, the team is utilizing a sixth starter, Roki Sasaki. Sasaki, one of the younger pitchers in the rotation, has shown promise, particularly in last year's postseason. This season, he has a record of 5-5 with a 4.42 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP across 22 starts. Despite some recent struggles against Braves hitters, he has pitched effectively in August.
The Atlanta Braves are also performing strongly, though they face continued pressure from the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East standings. Two weeks ago, the Braves appeared to be cruising towards the postseason, but a recent 4-6 record over their last 10 games, contrasted with the Phillies' 8-2 performance, has narrowed Atlanta's division lead to 4.5 games. Despite this shift, both teams are still considered strong contenders for a postseason berth.
Atlanta's starting pitcher for the game, AJ Smith-Shawver, has made only two starts this season. In those appearances, he allowed six earned runs over 8.2 innings, with five walks and nine hits contributing to baserunner traffic. This will be his first home start of the season, which could offer a performance boost with the support of the home crowd. Smith-Shawver has faced Dodgers hitters previously, with a combined 2-for-7 record against them.
This series marks an opportunity for the Braves to secure a series win against a team that could be a National League Championship Series opponent. The upcoming game is anticipated to be a high-scoring affair, with both offenses being potent and the starting pitchers potentially susceptible to allowing baserunners.