The Los Angeles Dodgers took care of business in the Wild Card round and National League Division Series, sweeping both the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres to earn a trip to the NL Championship Series for a fourth time in the last five years.
On the other side of the bracket, the Atlanta Braves advanced in similar fashion, sweeping both the Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins to set up a highly-anticipated matchup with the Dodgers in the NLCS that begins on Monday.
This marks the first time since 2001 the Braves have advanced this far in the postseason. The series will be a rematch of the 2018 NLDS, which the Dodgers won in four games.
Due to restrictions and adjustments brought about by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the entire NLCS will be played in the MLB bubble at Globe Life Field in Arlington.
As the No. 1 seed in the NL and with the best record in baseball, the Dodgers will be designated home team in Games 1 and 2, and if necessary, Games 5 and 7. Another advantage that the Dodgers will have is that they played their NLDS matchup against the Padres at Globe Life Field.
L.A. had previously visited the ballpark in August for a three-game series with the Texas Rangers. Conversely, it will be the first time the Braves get a chance to play in the cavernous stadium.
Another change that will be in place this series is that for the first time this year, the two teams will be playing in front of fans as MLB sold around 11,500 tickets for both the NLCS and World Series, which also will be staged at Globe Life Field.
While the Brewers and Padres presented the Dodgers some challenges, the Braves will be their toughest opponent yet as they are currently firing on all cylinders. Atlanta’s biggest strength is their lineup, but their pitching has stepped up in a big way this postseason, recording shutouts in four of their five postseason games thus far.
Braves vs. Dodgers NLCS schedule (start times TBA)
Game 1: Monday, Oct. 12, Fox or FS1
Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 13, Fox or FS1
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 14, Fox or FS1
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 15, Fox or FS1
Game 5*: Friday, Oct. 16, Fox or FS1
Game 6*: Saturday, Oct. 17, Fox or FS1
Game 7*: Sunday, Oct. 18, Fox or FS1
*if necessary
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events and more!