Braves Prepare to Open Series vs Dodgers in Los Angeles

The Atlanta Braves are ready for the challenge.

Despite Atlanta’s consistent success - they’ve won the NL East for each of the previous six seasons, twice making the NLCS and winning the 2021 World Series - the popular favorites (and the most frequently written about team) this season is the Los Angeles Dodgers, thanks to their $1.2B shopping spree of an offseason. 

But despite watching LA add reigning AL MVP Shohei Ohtani and starters Yoshinobu Yamamoto (free agency) and Tyler Glasnow (trade) to their rotation, Atlanta’s the team with the best record in baseball at 20-9 (.690 winning percentage) thanks to some impressive pitching and the offensive heroics of designated hitter Marcell Ozuna.  Their three-game series starts tonight, with veteran Charlie Morton (2-0, 33.60 ERA) facing off with youngster Gavin Stone (2-1, 4.68 ERA). 

Here's how Atlanta will line up for the contest:

RF Ronald Acuña Jr
2B Ozzie Albies
3B Austin Riley
1B Matt Olson
DH Marcell Ozuna
C Travis d’Arnaud
CF Michael Harris II
SS Orlando Arcia
LF Jarred Kelenic

Morton’s making his sixth start of the year and coming off of the best one: seven scoreless innings against the Cleveland Guardians, with just one walk and four hits against six strikeouts. He faced LA twice last season, with widely different results: The first outing, on May 22nd at home, he gave up six runs on seven hits in five innings. He made up for it in the sequel, though, allowing only two runs on September 3rd in a shortened outing in LA. Watch former Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman here: He’s 4-8 with two homers and 5 RBIs off of Morton since joining LA. 

Here's the Dodgers lineup:

SS Mookie Betts
DH Shohei Ohtani
1B Freddie Freeman
C Will Smith
3B Max Muncy
LF Teoscar Hernández
RF Andy Pages
CF James Outman
2B Gavin Lux

Stone, 25, is hoping for some revenge here. He pitched in his second career MLB game against Atlanta last season and got whacked, giving up five runs in just four innings in Truist Park. While there’s a small sample size against Stone on the Atlanta roster - just that one game - leftfielder Adam Duvall also has a solo homer and went 2-3 off of him as a member of the Boston Red sox last season. 

Brew a pot of coffee - Today's series opener is scheduled for a 10:10 PM ET first pitch. Atlanta’s broadcast is on Bally Sports South, while the Dodgers are on SportsNet LA. For those out of market, both are available on MLB.tv.  

If you’d rather just listen, the Dodgers radio broadcast is available on DodgersRadio AM570 & KTNQ 1020, while the Atlanta Braves Radio Network has the standard broadcast on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan and affiliates across Braves Country.