Series preview: Braves vs. Dodgers

When (TV): 8:37 p.m. Thursday (TBS), 6:07 p.m. Friday (TBS), TBA Sunday (TBS). If necessary: TBA Monday, TBA Wednesday.

Radio: 680, 93.7, 100.5

Probable starting pitchers:

Thursday: Braves RH Kris Medlen (15-12, 3.11 ERA) vs. LH Clayton Kershaw (16-9, 1.83)

Friday: Braves LH Mike Minor (13-9, 3.21) vs. RH Zack Greinke (15-4, 2.63)

Sunday: Braves RH Julio Teheran (14-8, 3.20) vs. LH Hyun-Jin Ryu (14-8, 3.00)

Monday (if necessary): Braves RH Freddy Garcia (1-2, 1.65 ERA) vs. RH Ricky Nolasco (13-11, 3.70)

About the Braves:

Batting: Freddie Freeman was 37-for-99 (.374) with seven home runs, 24 RBIs, a .444 OBP and .636 slugging percentage in his last 28 regular-season games and finished the season tied for third in the National League in average (.319) and tied for second in RBIs (109). Chris Johnson was 2-for-23 with one homer and 10 strikeouts in his past six games, but finished second in the NL with a .321 average and majors-best .383 against lefties. Justin Upton went 20-for-61 (.328) with three homers in his last 15 games.

Pitching: Medlen is 9-1 with a 2.04 ERA in his past 11 starts, including 5-0 with an 0.84 ERA in his past six. The Los Angeles-area native is 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA in eight games (three starts) against the Dodgers, including 1-0 with no earned runs and a .156 opponents' average in two starts this season. Minor is 1-1 with a 2.32 ERA in five starts against the Dodgers. Teheran hasn't faced the Dodgers.

Miscellaneous: Chris Johnson is 18-for-48 (.375) with 12 extra-base hits, 10 RBIs and a .729 slugging percentage in 14 games at Dodger Stadium. Jason Heyward's .165 average and a .206 slugging percentage in 27 games vs. the Dodgers are his lowest against an NL team, but he went 6-for-15 with a double and three walks in a four-game series at Dodger Stadium in June. Against Kershaw, Freeman is 1-for-2 with a homer, Upton 3-for-29, Johnson 1-for-12 and Heyward 0-for-4 with four strikeouts.

About the Dodgers:

Batting: Hanley Ramirez was 20-for-54 (.370) with five homers, 11 RBIs and a .462 OBP and .704 slugging percentage in 16 September games. Juan Uribe hit .308 with 12 extra-base hits (five homers) in 22 September games. Yasiel Puig hit .397 with eight homers and a .630 slugging percentage in his first 36 games after being called up June 3, including 8-for-16 with two homers in a four-game series against the Braves. He was 15-for-77 (.195) with five homers in his final 24 games.

Pitching: Kershaw led NL starters in ERA (1.83), strikeouts (232 in 236 innings) and WHIP (0.915). He's 10-4 with a 1.57 ERA in past 16 starts, with 114 strikeouts and 19 walks in 114 2/3 innings. He has no decisions and a 2.45 ERA in four starts vs. the Braves, none this season. Greinke is 7-1 with a 1.58 ERA in his past 12 starts, with 73 strikeouts and 15 walks in 79 2/3 innings. He's 1-1 with a 3.50 ERA in three starts against the Braves. Ryu had no decisions and a 2.13 ERA in two starts vs. the Braves this season.

Miscellaneous: The Dodgers were 9-15 with a .241 average and 3.53 ERA in their last 24 regular-season games. Against Medlen, Ramirez is 5-for-9 with a homer, Skip Schumaker is 4-for-9, Andre Ethier is 4-for-12, Uribe is 0-for-6, and Adrian Gonzalez is 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. The Braves faced the Dodgers once in the postseason, with the Braves sweeping a 1996 division series behind wins from John Smoltz, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Kennesaw State head coach Antoine Pettway reacts after his team beat Georgia State  92-69 at VyStar Arena, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Kennesaw. (Colin Hubbard for the AJC)

Credit: Colin Hubbard

Featured

Fans celebrate in the stands after Cape Verde defeated Eswatini in a World Cup qualifying soccer match at Estádio Nacional in Praia, Cape Verde, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, to clinch their qualification for the 2026 World Cup. (Cristiano Barbosa/AP)

Credit: AP