The National League Division series starts Tuesday with the Los Angeles Dodgers taking on the San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves facing off against the Miami Marlins.
The Dodgers were able to get past the Milwaukee Brewers in a quick sweep. Corey Seager’s home run lift the Dodgers in the first game and Los Angeles star Clayton Kershaw struck out 13 batters for the victory over the Brewers in Game 2.
2020 AL DIVISION SERIES PREVIEW, SCHEDULE AND TIMES
Kershaw’s performance in the postseason is going to be in the spotlight. His struggles in big moments have been well-documented. He had a 4.22 ERA and a 9.9 K/9 ratio in 166.1 innings pitched in the postseason. The Dodgers are going to rely on him more than ever going forward.
The Padres are one of the most electric teams left in the playoffs. Fernando Tatis Jr.’s bat is going to be hard to stop during the series. Tatis had two home runs to stave off elimination against the St. Louis Cardinals and then the pitching staff shut the Redbirds out in Game 3. Riding that wave of momentum, the Padres are ready to take it to their division rivals.
Los Angeles Dodgers' Justin Turner, left, and A.J. Pollock (11) celebrate after Pollock scored on a double by Mookie Betts during the fifth inning in Game 2 of the team's National League wild-card baseball series Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
On the other side, the Braves and Marlins is going to be an interesting matchup as well.
Atlanta is coming off of its first playoff series victory since 2001. The young roster led by Ronald Acuna Jr. is something to watch. Acuna hit .364 in the series against the Cincinnati Reds. The pitching staff didn’t let Cincinnati score the entire series.
The Marlins were written off in the beginning of the shortened season because of the coronavirus outbreak the team suffered. But they weathered the storm and now have the playoffs to contend with.
The Miami pitching staff allowed the Chicago Cubs to score only one run. Sixto Sanchez had six strikeouts and Sandy Alcantara had four strikeouts. Miami has the young players to make some kind of noise. Is an upset brewing? Miami has never lost a playoff series and aren’t about to roll over to the Braves.
Here’s what else to know about the NLDS.
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(1) DODGERS VS. (4) PADRES
Game 1: Oct. 6; 9:38 pm ET (FS1)
Game 2: Oct. 7; 9:08 pm ET (FS1)
Game 3: Oct. 8; 9:08 pm ET (MLB Network)
Game 4: Oct. 9; 9:08 pm ET (FS1)
Game 5: Oct. 10; 8:08 pm ET (FS1)
(2) BRAVES VS. (7) MARLINS
Game 1: Oct. 6; 2:08 pm ET (FS1)
Game 2: Oct. 7; 2:08 pm ET (MLB Network)
Game 3: Oct. 8; 2:08 pm ET (FS1)
Game 4: Oct. 9; 2:08 pm ET (FS1)
Game 5: Oct. 10; 4:08 pm ET (FS1)
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