Dodgers at Braves NLDS Game 3: What to Check Before First Pitch

The Dodgers and Braves are tied 1 to 1 for NLDS Game 3 on October 6, scheduled for 6 p.m. ET at Truist Park. Los Angeles won the opener 5 to 3 and Atlanta answered with a 3 to 2 Game 2 win, so this is current pregame context, not a result or a pick. MLB lists Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Chris Sale as the probable starters, while the official batting orders still need to be posted. [1] [2] [3] Game 3 is the first game of the series at Truist Park. MLB's schedule lists a 6 p.m. ET start on Tuesday, followed by Game 4 in Atlanta on October 7 and a Game 5 in Los Angeles on October 9 if required. The division series is best of five, which makes the present series score and the site of the next game meaningful context before any market is considered. [1] CBS Sports and ESPN independently match MLB's current Game 3 listing. [4] [5] No odds, opening numbers or line movement appear here. A useful pregame check starts with the official game page, final lineup release and confirmed availability rather than an unlabeled or dated price display. Yamamoto and Sale are listed starters, not final confirmations MLB GameDay displays Yamamoto and Sale under probable pitchers. The October 5 MLB FAQ also sets the planned matchup as the Dodgers right hander against the Braves left hander. That is strong pregame information, but it is not a final confirmation until the game begins. [2] [3] The 2026 numbers listed by MLB give the matchup its shape without deciding it. Yamamoto enters with a 2.53 ERA, a 0.87 WHIP and 182 strikeouts. Sale is listed at a 2.16 ERA and 200 strikeouts, and the MLB FAQ notes a 1.96 ERA across his final 24 regular season starts. [2] [3] Their August 27 meeting offers context, not a shortcut to a conclusion. Sale threw a five hit shutout in Atlanta's 1 to 0 win, while Yamamoto allowed one run across 6 1/3 innings. One prior game does not establish how Game 3 will unfold, especially in a postseason setting with changed usage and a different day of information. [2] Treat every displayed batting order as a projection The official MLB FAQ labels its lineup section, “What might the starting lineups look like?” That wording is direct: the names and batting slots in that section are projections, not confirmed orders. MLB GameDay also presents matchup lists rather than a final card. [2] [3] The FAQ suggests Los Angeles could put more right handed hitters near the top against Sale and could alter its infield alignment. It also discusses a possible Braves group against Yamamoto. Those are useful clues for what to check, not approval to treat an expected lineup as official. A practical routine is simple. Reopen MLB GameDay near first pitch, compare the posted starters and batting orders with the earlier projections, then check for a late injury or rest update. MLB says Shohei Ohtani is managing right biceps and left knee issues, while Freddie Freeman is managing a right knee issue. The FAQ does not call either player a scratch, so their final status belongs in the last pregame review. [2] Bullpen context needs a fresh availability check The rest day gives each club a chance to reset, though it does not make every reliever automatically available. MLB's October 5 assessment says Atlanta should have Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suarez and Dylan Lee available after the off day. It also says Didier Fuentes and Ray Kerr will not be available after each threw more than 40 pitches on Sunday. That is a source assessment before Game 3, not a substitute for the final active roster. [2] Los Angeles used its bullpen for the final 5 1/3 innings of Game 2 after Blake Snell's short outing. The same MLB FAQ says the Dodgers should have almost everyone available after the off day, with Roki Sasaki a possible exception after two innings and 36 pitches Sunday. That distinction matters if a listed starter exits early or a betting market depends on relief depth. [2] Bullpen information is most useful as a sequence of checks. Confirm the starter, review the finalized lineup, then identify which late inning relievers are actually active and available. That order helps keep a prior workload note separate from a confirmed Game 3 role. SBA Takeaway Game 3 begins with a tied series, a 6 p.m. ET start at Truist Park and a planned Yamamoto versus Sale matchup. Keep the terms precise: listed pitchers are not final until the game starts, and the MLB FAQ's batting orders are projections. Check the official lineup and active bullpen picture close to first pitch before attaching weight to any pregame number. Sources - [1] MLB 2026 postseason schedule - [2] MLB Dodgers Braves NLDS Game 3 FAQ - [3] MLB GameDay preview - [4] CBS Sports 2026 MLB playoff schedule - [5] ESPN Dodgers at Braves Game 3 preview Related Reading - Phillies vs. Braves Game 3: Starters, Lineups and Status Checks - MLB’s Playoff Rule Reset: No Automatic Runner, but Two ABS Challenges - Yankees Without Judge: Verify Rays ALDS Game 2