The Los Angeles Dodgers are still awaiting their opponent in the National League Division Series, but a decision will be made on Thursday evening when the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies square off in a winner-take-all game three (At Truist Park).
The winner will head to Los Angeles on Friday and begin the NLDS with the Dodgers on Saturday.
Los Angeles Dodgers fans should be locked into this matchup between the Phillies and Braves for many reasons.
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Dodgers Fans Have Many Reasons to Watch Phillies-Braves WC Game
Understandable if Los Angeles Dodgers fans have not been able to watch the first two games of the Phillies and Braves series due to it being an 11 AM start time on the West Coast, but now that the crucial game three is taking place at night on the East Coast, Dodgers fans will have the chance to scope out their looming opponent.
LA may have already gained a slight advantage in its NLDS matchup with the Phillies forcing a game three, because it means both teams will have to burn more pitchers and expend more energy.
This little stat nugget by former MLB GM Jim Bowden shows that the Braves might have the slight advantage in Game 3 on Thursday, which the Dodgers coaching staff is likely very conscious about:
“In this wildcard format the team that wins game 1 has won their series 18 out of 19 times. Regardless of who wins Phillies @ Braves we have enough sample size for MLB/MLBPA to bargain to reduce WC back to one game series instead of 2 out of 3 while also bringing back game 163 as tie breakers. Just my opinion.”
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Who Should the Dodgers Want to Face in the NLDS?
Now, the next question for the Dodgers is who should they WANT to play in the NLDS?
Well, it would be pretty easy to say the Philadelphia Phillies because they will likely utilize both Zack Wheeler and Jhoan Duran on Thursday, which may put both of their statuses in jeopardy early on in the NLDS, and considering Christopher Sanchez threw on Wednesday, he likely wouldn’t be ready until Game 3 of the NLDS next week.
However, there truly is no right answer to this question.
That being said, the Dodgers finished the season very strong and look very poised to be a tough out (with a home-field advantage) against whoever they face.
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Why Los Angeles Dodgers Fans Need to Watch Phillies-Braves Game on Thursday