Atlanta Still One Win Over Dodgers Away From World Series

The Atlanta Braves are 0-4 in their last four NLCS games with a trip to the World Series on the line. After blowing a 3-1 series lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020, the Braves will try to avoid the same fate this Saturday night with a win at home in Game 6.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The Dodgers opened as -170 favorites and the Braves were +160 home underdogs when Max Scherzer was the projected starter on Saturday night. After reports came out Friday night that Scherzer would not start for Los Angeles, the betting lines were taken off the board. Expect a drastic change to the line when it is re-released Saturday morning.

Starting Pitchers Analysis

Sources close to the Dodgers have reported that Max Scherzer will not make his scheduled start in Game 6 due to arm fatigue. His availability for the game is unknown at the time of publication. Los Angeles may be in store for another bullpen day after doing the same in Game 5.

Ian Anderson allowed two runs in three innings against Los Angeles in Game 2 of this series last Sunday. Anderson sports a 2.25 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in eight innings pitched so far this postseason. The Braves are 4-0 in his last four starts.

Atlanta News & Notes

The Braves jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning of Game 5 and appeared to be well on their way to the World Series with ace Max Fried on the mound and the Dodgers forced into a bullpen day due to starting pitching injuries. But Fried wound up having his worst start since April in the game allowing eight hits and five earned runs in 4.2 innings pitched. Atlanta went on to lose the game 11-2.

Last time it looked as though the Dodgers had flipped the momentum of the series with their dramatic come-from-behind victory in Game 3, Atlanta earned a decisive 9-2 win in Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead in the NLCS. The Braves are 5-0 over their last five games after a loss and will be looking for another momentum-killing win over the Dodgers on Saturday.

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Los Angeles News & Notes

Chris Taylor and AJ Pollock had no interest in seeing their season come to an end on Saturday. Pollock went 3-for-4 with two home runs, three runs and four RBI and Taylor went 4-for-5 with three home runs, three runs and six RBI in Los Angeles’s blowout win.  After Joe Kelly allowed two runs in 0.2 innings pitched in the first inning, the rest of the Dodgers bullpen didn’t allow another run in the game.

Los Angeles will need another all-hands-on-deck type of effort in Game 6 to push this series to Game 7 on Sunday. Justin Turner has been lost for the postseason with a hamstring injury, dealing another blow to this Dodgers team that is already without Max Muncy and Clayton Kershaw.