Having lost home-field advantage after a Game 2 defeat, the Dodgers head to Atlanta needing at least one win to bring the series back to Dodger Stadium. Following heavy bullpen involvement in the previous matchup, it is all about the starting pitchers—Chris Sale and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will meet each other for the first time since Sale’s complete-game win over the defending champs back in late August.
A hero in last year’s postseason, Yamamoto makes his 2026 playoff debut with his team already facing
a tricky situation, especially if the offense can’t find a way to string hits together more successfully. The Dodgers visit Truist Park, having yet to record a hit with a runner in scoring position in the first two games of this National League Division Series.
One relevant factor in the decision to have Yamamoto pitch Game 3 of this series is just how dominant he has looked on the road this season, with a 1.77 ERA in 12 starts away from Dodger Stadium. Yamamoto’s only road loss since the start of June came in that pitcher’s duel against Sale, in a game in which there was really no way of beating the Braves’ left-hander, who held the Dodgers scoreless through nine.
Assessing potential lineup decisions, the Dodgers sat Muncy against a lefty opener in Game 2; he came in during the game and homered in his second straight playoff appearance. It’s also worth pointing out that Miguel Rojas got a hit in his only at-bat, likely leading to another instance of Muncy coming off the bench.
NLDS Game 3 info
- Teams: No. 2 seed Dodgers at No. 3 seed Braves
- Series: Tied at 1-1
- Ballpark: Truist Park, Atlanta
- Start time: 3:00 p.m.
- TV: FS1 (Joe Davis, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal)
- National radio: ESPN Radio (Dave O’Brien, Jessica Mendoza)
- Local English radio: AM 570 (Charley Steiner, Rick Monday)
- Local Spanish radio: KTNQ 1020 AM (José Mota, Luis Cruz)
