Dodgers, Braves Renew Rivalry in Sixth Postseason Showdown
The Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers will meet in the 2026 National League Division Series, with Game 1 set for Saturday and the Dodgers holding home-field advantage. The matchup marks the sixth postseason series between the two franchises, continuing one of the National League's most recurrent playoff pairings over the past three decades.
The clubs share a notable personal thread in Freddie Freeman, who won a World Series with Atlanta in 2021 before joining Los Angeles and capturing another title there. Beyond that connection, the Braves and Dodgers have repeatedly peaked in the same seasons, producing five prior series that have shaped both franchises' championship paths since 1996. live futsal odds
Atlanta swept Los Angeles in the 1996 NLDS behind strong pitching from John Smoltz, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, part of a run that carried the Braves to a second straight NL pennant. The Dodgers answered in 2013, winning a hard-fought NLDS in four games highlighted by Juan Uribe's series-ending home run. Los Angeles again eliminated Atlanta in 2018, riding dominant starts from Hyun Jin Ryu and Clayton Kershaw before closing out the series in four games. The 2020 NLCS, played at a neutral site in Texas during the pandemic-shortened season, saw the Dodgers erase a 3-1 deficit to advance en route to their first World Series title since 1988. Atlanta reversed that outcome in the 2021 NLCS, winning in six games behind a standout series from Eddie Rosario, before going on to win the World Series for the first time since 1995.
With the 2026 NLDS opening Saturday, the two franchises add another chapter to a rivalry that has repeatedly produced close games, late-inning swings and significant postseason consequences for both sides.
