Braves-Dodgers preview: Things to know, predictions ahead of clash between MLB’s two best teams

The showdown of the 2023 season gets started on Thursday night, when the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Atlanta Braves for the first of a four-game set that could decide National League supremacy — and who makes it to the World Series in October. This series will have a bit of everything: These two teams don’t just own the NL’s two best records; they have the two best records in baseball overall, and maybe the game’s two best players to boot. There’s also more than a little bad blood after they split a pair of NLCS battles in 2020 (won by the Dodgers, who went on to win it all) and 2021 (won by the Braves, who went on to win it all).

Here’s how the standings shake down ahead of Thursday’s opener:

1. Atlanta Braves: 87-452. Los Angeles Dodgers: 83-49 (4 GB)

3. Baltimore Orioles: 83-50 (4.5 GB)

The Dodgers are outrageously hot at the moment, with a 24-4 record so far in August that’s helped them open up a 14.5-game lead in the NL West. Atlanta, meanwhile, has had a double-digit lead in the NL East since the All-Star break. Once again, these teams are the class of the sport — but just because they’re on cruise control til October doesn’t mean there’s not still plenty on the line this weekend.

Here’s how the schedule shakes out:

For those keeping score at home, that’s an NL Cy Young frontrunner against one of the league’s best offenses on Thursday, two of the best lefties in the sport on Friday and veteran Charlie Morton against top prospect Bobby Miller on Sunday. Not too shabby.

Here three other things to know about this weekend’s four-game Braves vs. Dodgers series at Dodger Stadium, with a prediction thrown in for good measure.

Top seed in the NL on the line

L.A.’s sizzling August hasn’t made up as much ground in this race as you’d think, mostly because the Braves have been right there with them. The Dodgers enter play tonight four games back of Atlanta, but there’s still a whole month of baseball left to be played — and Los Angeles has a chance to wrap up the season series, and the all-important tiebreaker, this weekend. The Dodgers took two of three from the Braves the first time these teams matched up down in Atlanta, with Ozzie Albies’ walk-off sac fly in the finale the only thing preventing a sweep. That means that all Los Angeles needs is a split here to have the tiebreaker over the Braves moving forward.

If you don’t think that matters, just ask ... last year’s Braves, who needed a tiebreaker to claim the NL East over the Mets after both teams finished with identical 101-61 records. Atlanta got to move straight to the NLDS. New York, meanwhile, had to play in the Wild Card round, where they lost to the San Diego Padres in three games. Not only do you get to avoid the inherent chaos of a short series, but the best record in baseball comes with home-field advantage every step of the way come playoff time. It doesn’t guarantee you’ll advance, of course, but it does mean more nights in your own bed in October, and winner-take-all games in front of your fans.

NL MVP on the line, too

It seemed like Ronald Acuna Jr. had this award sewn up by July, but while the Braves superstar hasn’t exactly slowed down of late, this has all of a sudden become a very live race again — largely because Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman have been on some all-time heaters. Betts is hitting a whopping .454/.512/.796 for the entire month, and he now has the lead in OPS and WAR over Acuna Jr. Freeman, meanwhile, has an August slash line of .375/.427/.625 and currently leads the NL in doubles and total bases. Oh, and we haven’t even mentioned Braves first baseman Matt Olson, who leads the NL in homers and is fourth in OPS. Both of these duos could find themselves in Cooperstown one day, and there’s a good chance they occupy the top four spots in NL MVP voting when all is said and done. What order they come in, of course, will be decided in no small part by how they perform this weekend — when the entire baseball world is watching.

Who’s hot, who’s not

Acuña has been his usual self as well the last two weeks (.333/.373/.542), but that’s to be expected — the man has not slumped once all year, and he might not even be human. The beauty of Atlanta’s lineup, though, is that they’re so deep that even when some stars are slumping, they have other guys who can pick up the slack. Olson has cooled off a bit over the last two weeks (.238/.327/.357) after a historically hot start to his second half, while guys like Austin Riley (.227/.306/.409) and Sean Murphy (.240/.345/.360) have been scuffling as well. And yet, the Braves have been able to fall back on outfielders Michael Harris II (341/.356/.545) and Marcell Ozuna (.452/.500/.952), and they’ve still got the third-highest team OPS in the Majors this month.

The Dodgers are right behind them in fourth, despite not getting very much from star catcher Will Smith of late (.220/.250/.390 over the last two weeks). Betts and Freeman going thermonuclear certainly helps, but L.A. has also gotten big recent performances from Max Muncy (.279/.367/.605), Jason Heyward (.360/.385/.520, including a homer last night) and rookie center fielder James Outman (.222/.341/.472). J.D. Martinez continues to be hampered by a groin injury, but Dave Roberts’ squad still has a ton of firepower against both lefties and righties — with Betts’ defensive flexibility allowing them to mix and max a ton of different combinations.

Prediction time

This is a four-game set, so I could take the coward’s way out and go with a split. But no — that would be too easy, and the takes game is not for the faint of heart. So here’s an actual prediction: The Dodgers will take three out of four, and close the week with an inside track to overtake Atlanta for the No. 1 seed. The Dodgers are an incredible 46-21 at Dodger Stadium this season, the best home record in baseball, and while both of these teams have dealt with (and overcome) a ton of injuries and uncertainty in their starting rotations, I have a bit more faith in L.A.’s pitching staff as a whole — especially given how up and down Elder and Morton have been of late. Plus, the vibes just seem to be on the Dodgers’ side right now, so I’m going with my gut. But more importantly: Enjoy this, everyone, because a series like this doesn’t come around too often.