The Atlanta Braves have chosen left-handed reliever Dylan Dodd to open Game 1 of their National League Division Series on the road against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.
Dodd made no starts in 48 appearances during the regular season, but the Dodgers’ batting order features left-handed-hitting sluggers Shohei Ohtani (batting second), Freddie Freeman (fourth), Kyle Tucker (sixth) and Max Muncy (eighth). Switch hitter Tommy Edman is batting ninth. Dodd held left-handed hitters to a .171 average in 2026. He also was effective against right-handed batters, holding them to a .180 average.
Overall, Dodd, 28, compiled a 4-1 record and 2.54 ERA in 49 2/3 innings. He struck out 53, walked 14 and allowed seven home runs.
The Braves used a similar pitching approach on Thursday in a winner-take-all Game 3 against the Philadelphia Phillies in the wild-card round. They opened with left-handed reliever Ray Kerr, who delivered 3 1/3 scoreless innings. He allowed one hit and one walk and struck out two. The Braves went on to win the game 6-2 and the series two games to one.
It is not known whether Dodd will go that long. His longest outing this season is three innings, which he reached on April 12 and May 23.
The Dodgers are going with a conventional starter, ace left-hander Tarik Skubal, against a Braves lineup that features lefty batters Drake Baldwin, Matt Olson and Michael Harris II and switch hitter Ozzie Albies.
