The Atlanta Braves passed their test of winning a playoff series, and they certainly enjoyed celebrating it. However, their eyes now turn to the defending champs from Los Angeles. It's no secret that the Dodgers have been a thorn in the side of the Braves for a while. They exercised those demons during the 2021 NLCS when they beat the Dodgers to help them win their eventual World Series title.
LA has since won two World Series titles, and Atlanta hasn't been able to get back there. If they want a chance this season, they'll have to dethrone the villains of Major League Baseball. While the Braves appear to be underdogs, there are a couple of reasons to believe they could win the NLDS with ease. However, there are also reasons to be cautiously optimistic.
Here are 2 reasons why Braves should be favored over Dodgers in NLDS
The Braves have played well against winning teams
Atlanta has a 43-29 record in 2026 when playing teams with winning records. The only team with a better record in 2026 is the Brewers, who have a 45-30 record against winning teams. Add that with the fact that the Braves won the season series against LA 5-1, and there's good reason to believe they have a chance to win the NLDS.
Atlanta's ability to come back late in games could serve that one well
It seems like no matter what, the Braves always find a way to get themselves back into games. That's something teams have to be able to do in the postseason. Atlanta's best offensive production comes in the ninth inning and later. The Braves have a .280 average and an .846 OPS in the ninth inning. In extra innings, that average improves to .321 with an identical team OPS.
2 reasons why the Braves may fall short in the NLDS
The Dodgers offense is elite, and the Braves' pitching depth just isn't there
While the Braves have pretty good pitching, their depth has been tested recently. The Dodgers are only going to do that more, as they were in the top five in almost every offensive category in 2026. Braves fans know just how quickly LA's offense can change things, especially with MLB's second-best team OPS. They also tied with the Braves in 2026 with the 7th-most home runs in baseball at 204.
LA's pitching depth is going to be very difficult to overcome
The Dodgers definitely have the Braves beat when it comes to starting pitching depth. They have great options for each game. Atlanta has Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle as their best pitchers. But after that, it's bullpen or bust. That's going to be very hard for the Braves. LA's bullpen wasn't nearly as good as Atlanta's in 2026, but it was decent with a 3.74 ERA.
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