NL titans clash: What to know about huge Braves-Dodgers series

If you like MVP candidates and great teams, then you’ll love what Dodger Stadium has to offer this weekend.

The Braves and Dodgers will extend their recent rivalry during a four-game series that begins Thursday night in Los Angeles. This is a potential National League Championship Series preview between a pair of teams that have battled in two of the past three NLCS.

“Obviously I think four games separates us right now as far as the 1 and 2 [seed] in the National League. So that has value certainly,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “The other part, I think most importantly, is just gathering information. I think we know each other pretty well, but we haven’t seen them in awhile. We’re going to get to see their guys, so it’ll be a good test for all of us.”

Both of these World Series contenders own a double-digit lead in their respective division races. This late season matchup gives the teams a chance to get a feel for where they stand with the postseason approaching. This four-game set could also determine who has home-field advantage if the Braves and Dodgers do match up again in October.

“If you had your druthers, you’d rather have [home-field advantage],” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “But if you don’t, you’re just happy to be there.”

When are the games and how can I watch?
Thurs. and Fri: 7:10 PT/10:10 ET
Sat: 6:10 PT/ 9:10 ET
Sun: 1:10 PT/ 4:10 ET

TV
Dodgers: SportsNet LA -- Each game
Braves: Bally Sports Southeast -- Each game
MLB Network (out of market only) for Thursday and Friday’s games

What’s at stake?
The Braves own a five-game lead in the battle for the NL’s best record. The team with the best winning percentage at the end of the regular season will get home-field advantage throughout the NL portion of the playoffs.

Home-field advantage for the World Series will also be determined by which participant has the better win percentage. The Braves are 4 1/2 games ahead of the American League-leading Orioles.

What happened when these two teams met back in May?
The Dodgers took two of three games from the Braves when these two teams met May 22-24 at Truist Park. Freddie Freeman’s go-ahead, three-run homer off Charlie Morton in the fifth inning of the first game helped Los Angeles overcome Atlanta’s four-run first. After the Dodgers rolled to an easy win in the second game, Ozzie Albies prevented a sweep by hitting a game-ending sacrifice fly in the series finale.

Why does winning the head-to-head season series matter?
If the Braves and Dodgers have an identical winning percentage at the end of the regular season, home-field advantage will go to the team that won the seven-game season series. The Braves would need to win three of four this weekend to gain the tiebreaker for home-field advantage.

How many NL MVP candidates will be sharing the field this weekend?
Four of the best players in the world will take the field in this series, each team represented by two NL MVP candidates.

For the Dodgers, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman are having one of the best seasons you’ll ever see from any duo atop a lineup. Betts has already set a career high with 36 home runs. He’s also batting over .300 and leads the NL in OPS. Betts’ 2018 season appeared to be the bar for him, but there’s an argument to be made that his performance this season, at least so far, is even more impressive.

As for Freeman, he is just one double shy of breaking the Dodgers’ franchise record set by Johnny Frederick in 1929 (52). Freeman is also on pace to become the first player to reach the 60-double mark in a single season since Charlie Gehringer in 1936.

On Atlanta’s end, Ronald Acuña Jr. is running down some franchise history of his own. Along with topping MLB in runs (119) and OBP (.416), he also leads the Majors with 61 stolen bases and is just 12 swipes away from breaking Otis Nixon’s franchise record for most steals in a single season (72).

While Acuña has been burning up the basepaths, Matt Olson has been bringing the thunder on a Braves lineup known across the Majors for its ability to blast long balls. The 29-year-old leads the NL with 43 homers, just four shy of Hall of Famer Henry Aaron’s single-season franchise mark for most home runs by a primary first baseman. Olson is also just the fourth Braves player since 1966 to drive home 100 runs and score 100 through his first 128 games of the season.

How do the rotations line up for this series?
Thurs. ATL RHP Spencer Strider (15-4, 3.46) vs. LAD RHP Lance Lynn (10-9, 5.56)
Fri. ATL LHP Max Fried (5-1, 2.85) vs. LAD LHP Julio Urías (11-7, 4.41)
Sat. ATL RHP Bryce Elder (11-4, 3.50) vs. TBA
Sun. ATL RHP Charlie Morton (14-10, 3.29) vs. LAD RHP Bobby Miller (8-3, 4.00)

Where is Acuña in his quest to become the first 30/60 player in AL/NL history?
Acuña needs one more home run to become the first player to ever hit 30-plus homers and steal 60-plus bases in the same season. He will also join Barry Bonds (1990) and Eric Davis (1987) as the only players to ever hit 30-plus homers and have at least 50 stolen bases in the same season.

What’s the recent history between these two teams at Dodger Stadium?
The Braves have gone 2-10 at the iconic ballpark, going back to 2018, when they began their current run of five straight division titles. That accounts for just the regular season. Atlanta has also lost three of four postseason games at Dodger Stadium within this same span.

Any injuries of note?
Left-handed reliever Dylan Lee remains on the injured list, but the Braves' bullpen has been very effective over the past few weeks.

The Dodgers have lost starters Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May for the season, but Los Angeles’ starting staff was among the league’s best in August.