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The Braves have not yet lost this postseason, and if they hope to continue their journey to the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the next foe standing in their way.
The Dodgers, who blew out the Padres this evening to close out the series, have not lost this postseason, outscoring their opponents 30-11. They made quick work of the Brewers in two games and then defeated San Diego in a heated series played in Arlington, Texas, where the two clubs will meet next week at the Rangers’ shiny new ballpark.
To put it mildly: the Dodgers are stacked. It turns out having nearly endless money to spend paired with supreme player development is a good recipe for success. Who knew?
You know many of the names in their lineup; Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager and Justin Turner are just a few of them. Their rotation features little-known talents Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler at the top, who the Braves will certainly see in Games 1 and 2. The bullpen? It ranked 3rd in WAR and 2nd in ERA this summer. You don’t need me to write 4,000 words explaining why the Dodgers are good or how they got here.
Can the Braves beat the Dodgers? Absolutely. It will not be easy. To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best. Or so they say. Game 1 of the NLCS is set for Monday, October 12