Braves vs Dodgers NLCS Odds, Preview, and Prediction
- The Los Angeles Dodgers are the -225 favorites to defeat the Atlanta Braves in the National League Championship Series
- LA beat Atlanta in a seven-game NLCS last season en route to winning the World Series
- Defending World Series champions are 3-4 in NLCS history
The Los Angeles Dodgers, the Atlanta Braves, and the National League Championship Series. As legendary baseball savant Yogi Berra would’ve noted, it’s deja vu all over again.
The NL champion will be determined by the same two teams as met in last year’s NLCS. Will the outcome be the same?
Oddsmakers are of the opinion that it will indeed. The Dodgers are being established as the -225 favorites to repeat as NLCS winners. LA is 8-6 in the NLCS, the most wins of any team. Atlanta is 5-7 in 12 previous NLCS appearances.
The Dodgers are the +130 betting choice in the World Series odds to repeat as champions.
Dodgers vs Braves NLCS Odds
| Team | Moneyline |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers | -225 |
| Atlanta Braves | +186 |
Odds as of October 15th at FanDuel.
Game 1 of this best-of-seven series is slated for Saturday, October 17 at 8:07 pm ET at Truist Park in Atlanta. The weather forecast is calling for a chance of a shower, with 15 mph wind and a temperature of 72 degrees. TBS is carrying the entire series broadcast.
Dodgers Pull Out All The Stops
Playing on the road in Game 5 of the NLDS against their arch rivals the San Francisco Giants, the Dodgers left no stone unturned in search of victory. After launching the game with opener Chad Knebel, LA manager Dave Roberts handed the ball to 20-game winner Julio Urias for the third inning.
FINAL: Dodgers 2, Giants 1
Los Angeles advances to face Atlanta in the NLCS after a go-ahead RBI from Cody Bellinger in the top of the 9th. Max Scherzer closes out San Francisco for his first career save.
These are the two best teams in baseball. A shame one had to lose.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 15, 2021
Claiming a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth on a Cody Bellinger RBI single that scored Justin Turner, Roberts pulled closer Kenley Jansen in favor of staff ace Max Scherzer to start the bottom of the inning. He pitched a scoreless ninth as the Dodgers rallied from a 2-1 series deficit to advance.
It was the first career save for three-time Cy Young Award winner Scherzer.
Braves New World
With just 88 victories this season, Atlanta won the fewest games of any MLB playoff team. The Braves actually won 19 fewer games than the Giants team that LA just ousted.
It’s been a season of rallying and overcoming obstacles for the Braves. On June 16, Atlanta was 30-35 and eight games out of the NL East lead. As late as July 28, the Braves were still six games back of the lead. They didn’t gain sole possession of first place in the NL East until August 15.
Two @Braves legends prep for the NLCS. pic.twitter.com/lzFJxeWfpT
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) October 14, 2021
Outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr was lost for the season to a torn ACL. Mike Soroka, ace of Atlanta’s starting rotation, went down for the year with a torn Achilles tendon. Outfielder Marcell Ozuna is under MLB administrative leave over a domestic violence charge.
They could be facing another key absence at the very least to start the NLCS. Outfielder and leadoff hitter Jorge Soler was removed from the Braves’ NLDS roster prior to Game 4 of the set against the Milwaukee Brewers. He’s tested positive for COVID-19.
Trendspotting
LA is seeking to win the World Series for the second year in a row. Atlanta is seeking to win the World Series for the first time since 1995 and to get there for the first time since 1999.
Defending World Series champions are 3-4 all-time in the NLCS. The Dodgers are playing in the NLCS for the fifth time in six years.
The @Dodgers are going to their 8th NLCS since 2008.
That's the most league championship series appearances in that span. pic.twitter.com/angsgXFtWc
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) October 15, 2021
It’s also the fifth time that the NLCS has been a rematch in successive years. The club that won the first series also took the second series three of four previous times.
Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers (-225)
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
