The Los Angeles Dodgers have lost each of the first two games of their series against the Atlanta Braves entering Thursday’s finale.
The matchup will feature both teams’ aces, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto taking the mound for Los Angeles and Chris Sale starting for Atlanta. Ahead of the game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made some notable changes to his starting lineup.
Dodgers Announce Max Muncy Move
With the Dodgers facing a quick turnaround before traveling to Detroit for a weekend series against the Tigers, veteran Max Muncy will not start Thursday night.
Muncy will likely receive a scheduled day off, while Roberts also made changes to the top of the order. Freddie Freeman will move from the No. 2 spot to cleanup, while Tommy Edman will jump from fifth to second behind Shohei Ohtani.
Here’s the full Dodgers lineup:
Via Underdog MLB: “Dodgers 8/27 S. Ohtani DH T. Edman CF M. Betts SS F. Freeman 1B T. Hernández LF M. Rojas 2B A. Call RF E. Hernández 3B B. Rortvedt C Y. Yamamoto SP.”
Dodgers 8/27
S. Ohtani DH
T. Edman CF
M. Betts SS
F. Freeman 1B
T. Hernández LF
M. Rojas 2B
A. Call RF
E. Hernández 3B
B. Rortvedt CY. Yamamoto SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) August 27, 2026
Muncy’s 2026 Campaign
Muncy celebrated his 36th birthday this week and continues to play at a high level in his 11th MLB season and ninth with the Dodgers.
He’s batting .253 across 123 games and 403 at-bats, with 69 runs, 102 hits, 26 home runs and 67 RBIs. He’s also slugging .501 with an .849 OPS.
Looking at the Dodgers
The Dodgers enter Thursday night with an 80-53 record, the second-best mark in the majors behind the Milwaukee Brewers, who lead Los Angeles by 1.5 games.
If the Dodgers secure a top-two seed in the National League, they’ll receive a first-round bye. However, they won’t have home-field advantage throughout the postseason if the Brewers finish ahead of them as Los Angeles chases its third consecutive World Series title.
Los Angeles Dodgers Announce Max Muncy Move Before Braves Series Finale