LOS ANGELES — The temperature at the first pitch of Saturday’s Game 1 of the National League Division Series between the Dodgers and Atlanta Braves was a toasty 100 degrees, making it the second-hottest postseason game in Dodger Stadium history.
Official scorer Ed Munson announced the game-time temperature at 100 degrees, while the left field scoreboard at Dodger Stadium displayed 103. Either way, it’s very hot in Los Angeles.
“One hundred degrees in October in LA, that’s definitely not normal,” said
Braves reliever Brent Suter, who has a degree in environmental science and public policy from Harvard. “Obviously Super El Niño is a big thing to do with that. It’s going to be a challenge for both sides to stay hydrated, especially the position players. I don’t know how they do it day in and day out with some of this heat.
“Hopefully everyone is drinking a lot of water and staying hydrated. It’s going to be a hot one,” Dodgers Game 1 starter Tarik Skubal said Friday. “I’m excited, though.”
Manager Dave Roberts was around for the hottest-ever Dodgers postseason game, Game 1 of the 2017 World Series, with a first-pitch temperature of 103 degrees at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers won that night, 3-1.
“Yeah, it was hot. It was hot,” Roberts said Saturday. “I think for us it’s obviously do as much as we can to stay hydrated. I think honestly just not let it get to us and be more mindful of the pitcher. Outside of that, it’s the same conditions for both teams, and you’ve got to just stay hydrated and manage it. I’ll keep an eye on Will [Smith, catcher], but he’ll be fine.”
Skubal said he plans to drink a lot of water himself, and was asked if that might mean more in-game trips to the restroom. “You’re just not going to the bathroom because you’re probably sweating it out,” said Skubal. “That’s probably how it is.”
Shohei Ohtani said Friday that he wouldn’t change his gameday routine due to the increased temperatures.
“Nothing for me personally, but I know the pitchers are going to have a hard time,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “I’m wishing all the best for Skuby.”
Ohtani was involved in the hottest game in Dodgers history, though as an opponent. On July 6, 2018, the first-pitch temperature in Anaheim was a whopping 108 degrees for a game the Dodgers lost in walk-off fashion 3-2 in the ninth inning. Ohtani, then in his rookie campaign, scored the tying run after a two-out walk off Kenley Jansen.
Before that game in Anaheim eight years ago, the Dodgers did not take batting practice on the field, with Roberts telling reporters, “The net of being in air conditioning and resting your body gives us a better chance to win a baseball game,” per Ethan Bauer of the Los Angeles Times.
The Dodgers did take batting practice on Saturday before Game 1 against the Braves, though were pretty much done by 10:30 a.m., when the temperature was a cool 94 degrees.
In all, the Dodgers have played in 29 regular season games in their history with a first-pitch temperature in triple digits, with the last coming on September 8, 2024 against the Cleveland Guardians, a 4-0 shutout win in 103-degree heat at Dodger Stadium that featured Jack Flaherty pitching into the eighth inning plus home runs by Ohtani and Max Muncy.
The only other Dodgers game this season that started with a temperature of at least 95 degrees was August 23 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, a Sunday afternoon game — another 1 p.m. start — that was 97 degrees at game time. The Dodgers won that home game, 4-0, behind six scoreless innings from Blake Snell.
Snell will start Game 2 against the Braves on Sunday, with a 5 p.m. start, when temperatures should cool down to 90 degrees or so, and below.
“I’ll be good. It will be hot, but not like 1:00 p.m. when the sun’s straight up,” Snell said Saturday. “It will be set, and I’ll be fine.”
