The National League Divisional Series is even at 1-1 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves as we head into Game 3 Tuesday with the series shifting from the West Coast to Georga. First pitch from Truist Park is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET (FS1). Let's analyze MLB odds around the Dodgers vs. Braves odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
2026 season series: Braves won 5-1
So far, the Braves have shown they can respond well in this postseason. In their best-of-3 NL Wild Card Series vs. the Philadelphia Phillies, they lost Game 2 before taking Game 3 to advance. Now they need to prove they can put their foot on the gas and stack wins after answering Saturday's Game 1 loss to the Dodgers with a 3-2 win in Game 2 Sunday
-- Atlanta cashed as a +174 road underdog, while the Under (7.5) came in.
The Braves leaned on a combination of SP Ray Kerr (2 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 4 K) and 5 relievers in Game 2. At the plate, CF Michael Harris II (3 for 5, R, RBI) doubled and tripled (3 for 5, RBI), breaking a 1-1 tie in the top of the fifth and adding much-needed insurance in the seventh. Now, ace LHP Chris Sale is set to start Game 3 at home.
The Dodgers did make things nervy late. Down to the final strike in the bottom of the ninth, 3B Max Muncy sent a solo shot over the fence to bring L.A. within 1, forcing the Braves to summon RP Raisel Iglesias. Atlanta's closer responded by inducing star rookie PH Josue De Paula to pop out foul on the third-base side.
Dodgers 1B Freddie Freeman went 2 for 4 with a game-tying solo HR in the fourth, while DH Shohei Ohtani finished 1 for 4 (a single).
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Dodgers at Braves projected starters
RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. LHP Chris Sale
Yamamoto (14-9, 2.53 ERA) had a 0.87 WHIP, 2.0 BB/9 and 8.9 K/9 in 185 IP over 28 starts in the regular season.
- Last start: Loss, 6 IP, 2 ER (4 R), 5 H, 1 BB, 4 K in 5-1 home defeat to San Diego Padres Sept. 23
- Career vs. Braves: 1-1, 0.55 ERA (16 1/3 IP, 1 ER), 0.86 WHIP, 9 H, 5 BB, 17 K (9.4 K/9) in 3 starts
- 2026 vs. Braves (1 start): Loss, 6 1/3 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 8 K in 1-0 road setback Aug. 27
- Career postseason: 7-1 , 2.25 ERA (56 IP, 14 ER), 0.84 WHIP, 48 K (7.7 K/9) in 10 games (9 starts)
Sale (14-9, 2.16 ERA) posted a 0.98 WHIP, 1.7 BB/9 and 11.1 K/9 in 162 2/3 IP over 27 starts this season.
- Last appearance: No-decision, 1 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K in 6-2 NL Wild Card Series clincher vs. Philadelphia Phillies Thursday
- Last start: No-decision, 6 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 9 K in 5-3 Wild Card Game 1 victory vs. Phillies Sept. 29
- Career vs. Dodgers (regular season): 2-3, 4.30 ERA (37 2/3 IP, 18 ER), 1.14 WHIP, 10.3 K/9 in 7 games (6 starts)
- 2026 vs. Dodgers: 1-1, 1.13 ERA (16 IP, 2 ER), 0.63 WHIP, 10 H, 0 BB, 18 K (10/1 K/9) in 2 starts
- 2026 vs. Dodgers at home (1 start): Win, 9 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 11 K in 1-0 complete-game victory Aug. 27
- Career postseason: 1-3, 5.83 ERA (41 2/3 IP, 27 ER), 1.32 WHIP, 3.0 BB/9, 12.7 K/9 in 12 games (8 starts)
Braves at Dodgers odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:41 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Dodgers -110 (bet $110 to win $100) | Braves -110 (bet $110 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Dodgers -1.5 (+165) | Braves +1.5 (-200)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Braves at Dodgers picks and predictions
Prediction
Braves 3, Dodgers 2
Moneyline
The BRAVES (-110) must be prepared for a Dodgers team (-110) that won't be happy about the way Game 2 turned out. But few back in Atlanta expected the series to be a tied before it left Los Angeles. That's something for Sale and the Braves to play into.
BET BRAVES (-110).
Run line/Against the spread
PASS.
There's no value in Braves (+1.5, -200). Plus, we're backing them with the ML play.
Over/Under
A low total of 6.5 is warranted with this Yamamoto vs. Sale pitching matchup. It might sound crazy, but take the UNDER 6.5 (-110). Not only has the Under cashed in the first 2 games of this series, Yamamoto and Sale faced off in the above mentioned Aug. 27 game that finished 1-0 Atlanta with a closing O/U line of 6.5.
BET UNDER 6.5 (-110).
Betting odds calculator
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This article originally appeared on Sportsbook Wire: Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta Braves odds, picks and predictions
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