If the Atlanta Braves learned anything from 2020 it’s that they can’t let up against this Los Angeles Dodgers team at all.
The Atlanta Braves did exactly what they needed to do at home in this NLCS taking both games and heading out West with a 2-0 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
However, we know from experience that you can’t back off against this team — give them an inch and they’ll break your hearts.
Just in case someone reading this is unaware, the Braves were up 2-0 and 3-1 in the NLCS last year against the Dodgers before giving away the series.
Hopefully, that will be motivation for this Braves team to keep their foot on the gas.
Let’s look at the good and bad with Atlanta heading out West.
Braves Don’t Play Well at Dodgers Stadium
Getting home-field advantage in this series was huge for the Braves because they have not had a lot of luck at Dodger Stadium.
You just go back to their last series there where they lost all three games by a combined 4 runs — there is magic in that stadium for the Dodgers. They lost all three games there in 2019 and lost both games there in the 2018 NLDS.
Their last win in Dodger Stadium was on June 9, 2018. They’ve lost nine straight games in Dodger Stadium and are 1-10 there over the last four years (didn’t play there at all in 2020).
That trend has to turn around for Atlanta in this series.
Freddie Freeman Hasn’t Gotten Going … Yet
It’s been a rough first couple of games for Freddie Freeman in this series with 7 strikeouts in 8 at-bats. And normally I’d say he’s having good at-bats and working deep counts, but he’s just straight up been outmatched.
Part of that is he’s faced a lefty in half his at-bats and the righties he’s faced are really good (Corey Knebel, Blake Treinen, and Max Scherzer).
I’m not trying to make excuses for Freddie, but the Dodgers are clearly doing their best to give him difficult matchups.
That’s a big reason why I think Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley have had a ton of success in this series already.
But we all know, at some point — if the Braves are going to win this series — Freddie Freeman will need to come up with a big hit.
History tells us he’ll figure it out, and when that happens, we could really see this offense start to take off.
The Braves Have Yet to Play Their Best Game
A lot has been made (and written — mostly from California media) about how the Dodgers have given away these first two games.
Part of that is true. They’ve made some uncharacteristic mistakes, questionable bullpen moves, and haven’t cashed in on a lot of opportunities to score runs (2-18 with RISP).
I do think you have to give a lot of credit to the Braves pitchers who have made good pitches to get out of tight spots, and the hitters for coming through in clutch moments.
But you can also look at it this way, the Braves haven’t played their best game and they’re up 2-0 in this series.
In Game 1, they struck out 14 times against what was a bullpen game for the Dodgers and only had 4 hits before the ninth inning.
Then in Game 2, the pitching staff walked nine batters — NINE!. There aren’t too many games where you walk nine batters and not only win, but only give up 4 runs. Two of those runs scored came on walks.
We said coming into this series the Braves would have to play nearly perfect baseball to win. They haven’t, and yet they’re still up 2-0.
Hopefully they do finally put it all together in Game 3 with Charlie Morton on the mound and take an even more commanding 3-0 lead in this NLCS on Tuesday.
If Atlanta doesn’t win that one, they’ll likely go with a bullpen game on Wednesday, and just like that — this series could be tied.
That’s why they can’t get comfortable here with a 2-0 lead. Treat Game 3 as if you’re the team down 2-0 in this series and completely cut off any hope for a Dodgers comeback this time around.