Updated August 27, 2026
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves wrap up their three-game series Thursday night at Truist Park, with first pitch set for 7:15 p.m. ET. We’ve got a great pitching matchup for the finale, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-7, 2.61 ERA) getting the start for Los Angeles against Chris Sale (12-9, 2.20 ERA).
Atlanta has taken the first two games of the series, including a walk-off win Wednesday night, and will now go for the sweep. Can the Dodgers avoid it behind Yamamoto? Let’s preview Thursday’s matchup, make our Dodgers vs Braves prediction, and break down some of the biggest storylines heading into the game.
We're going with the Braves to win Thursday night and complete the sweep of the World Series favorites, with Atlanta currently priced around 54¢ on Polymarket.
To me, the Braves just look like the more motivated team right now. The Dodgers have sleepwalked through much of August with a comfortable lead in the NL West and seem to already have one eye on October and a potential third straight World Series title — something that hasn't been done since the Yankees from 1998-2000.
LA has already been swept twice this month, by the Red Sox and Cubs, and has lost every August series against a team with a winning record. With Chris Sale on the mound, I like Atlanta's chances of keeping that trend going and winning another close one behind its ace.
The Braves' offense has also come alive here recently. They've scored just 14 runs over their last three games, but they've racked up 34 hits in that span. If a few more of those hits start turning into runs, Atlanta could be due for a bigger night at the plate.
That said, if you're worried about a masterclass from 2025 World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Under 6.5 runs is another option at around 50¢ on Polymarket. That lines up with our ATS.io Quantitative Model, which projects a 4-2 Braves win, although a total that low doesn't leave much room for error. Check out our full Dodgers vs Braves prediction for more data and analysis on Thursday's matchup.
We all remember Yoshinobu Yamamoto's masterclass against the Blue Jays in the 2025 World Series. The Japanese ace went 3-0 with a 1.02 ERA, capped off by 2.2 scoreless innings of relief on zero days' rest in Game 7, just one day after throwing 96 pitches.
Yamamoto has carried that form into another impressive season in 2026. He enters Thursday with a 2.61 ERA and the league's second-best WHIP at 0.90, while opposing hitters are batting just .187 against him.
He's been especially good lately despite the Dodgers' struggles in August. Yamamoto has a 2.08 ERA across 26 innings this month, and LA has won five of his last six starts.
Now, he'll face Atlanta for the first time since May 2, 2025. Yamamoto dominated the Braves that night, throwing six scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out six in a 2-1 Dodgers win at Truist Park.
Jacob Misiorowski is understandably the overwhelming favorite to win the 2026 NL Cy Young, currently given around a 90% chance on Polymarket. But can you guess who has the second-best chance? It's none other than 37-year-old Chris Sale, now in his third season with Atlanta.
Sale has put together another excellent year, going 12-9 with a 2.20 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 166 strikeouts. Things haven't gone quite as well lately, though. The Braves have lost each of his last three starts against the Brewers, Diamondbacks, and Yankees, with Sale taking the loss in all three.
He also faced the Dodgers earlier this season, allowing two earned runs across seven innings in a 3-1 loss at Dodger Stadium on May 8. This time, he'll get LA at home, where he's been even better with a 1.65 ERA this season.
It may be too late for Sale to make the Cy Young race truly competitive again, but a strong outing against the World Series favorites would certainly add to what has already been an incredible season for the veteran left-hander.
Despite Atlanta already clinching the series with Wednesday's walk-off 6-5 win, there's still plenty at stake for both teams Thursday night.
The Braves are just 4.5 games ahead of the red-hot Phillies in the NL East, so there's not much room to relax. The Dodgers have a little more breathing room out West, sitting 8.5 games ahead of the Padres and 9.5 ahead of the Diamondbacks.
But both teams also have their eyes on the bigger NL playoff picture. The Brewers currently lead the league at 82-51, followed by the Dodgers at 80-53 and Braves at 78-55. That puts Atlanta just two games behind LA heading into Thursday's finale.
That race matters because the top two division winners in each league receive a first-round bye and advance directly to the NLDS. They also get home-field advantage in that round, making every game down the stretch important as the Dodgers and Braves try to keep pace with Milwaukee and secure one of those top two spots.
For more picks and analysis from around the league, check out our daily MLB picks and predictions throughout the 2026 season.
