Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves Predictions, Odds, Preview

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

4 minute read

October 23, 2021

Jonathan Willis
MLB Expert
VegasInsider.com

The Atlanta Braves look to close out the NLCS at home as they host the Los Angeles Dodgers. Opening pitch is set for 5:08 p.m. ET and will air on TBS from Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves Game 6 Predictions

It’s do or die for the Los Angeles Dodgers once again on Saturday in Atlanta. The Braves have a 3-2 series lead in the NLCS, but the home crowd will have a sense of trepidation ahead of Game 6. There is likely to be a sense of “Here we go again”, if the Braves fall behind early, so it’s going to be huge for Ian Anderson to pitch well in the early going.

The Dodgers are understandably favorites with Max Scherzer on the mound, but the Braves should not be this much of an underdog at home. Anderson has pitched well, and it looks like Scherzer and the Dodgers’ bullpen might be out of gas. Los Angeles’ relievers have been the best in baseball this postseason, but Dave Roberts has tested the limits of the pen.

Score Prediction

Braves 3, Dodgers 2

Best Bets

Under

Braves ML

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves Game 6 Betting Odds

Game odds provided by DraftKings - subject to change

• Dodgers -170
• Braves +150
• Dodgers -1.5 (-110)
• Braves +1.5 (-110)
• Over 8 (-105)
• Under 8 (-115)

The run total has gone OVER in four straight games played between the Dodgers and the Braves. (AP)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves Game 6 Betting Resources

• Matchup: NL West vs. NL East
• Date: Saturday, October 23, 2021
• Venue: Truist Park
• Location: Atlanta, Georgia
• TV-Time: TBS - 5:08 p.m. ET

• Weather Report
• Injury Report

Inside the Stats - Los Angeles Dodgers

• Record: 112-61
• Run Line: 87-86
• O/U: 76-86-11
• Runs: 830 (4th)
• Batting Average: .244 (11th)
• On Base Percentage: .330 (5th)
• ERA: 3.01 (1st)
• WHIP: 1.10 (1st)

Inside the Stats - Atlanta Braves

• Record: 94-76
• Run Line: 86-84
• O/U: 79-81-10
• Runs: 790 (8th)
• Batting Average: .244 (12th)
• On Base Percentage: .319 (12th)
• ERA: 3.88 (8th)
• WHIP: 1.24 (10th)

Key Players to Watch

• LAD: Trea Turner - 2B (.328 avg, 28 HR, 77 RBI)
• LAD: Justin Turner - 3B (.278 avg, 27 HR, 87 RBI)
• ATL: Austin Riley - 3B (.303 avg, 33 HR, 107 RBI)
• ATL: Freddie Freeman - 1B (.300 avg, 31 HR, 83 RBI)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves Game 6 Probable Pitchers

ATL: Ian Anderson - RHP (9-5, 3.58 ERA, 124 K, 1.23 WHIP)

LAD: Max Scherzer - RHP (15-4, 2.46 ERA, 236 K, 0.86 WHIP)

The Atlanta Braves have won eight straight home games when facing a team with a winning record. (AP)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves Game 6 Betting Analysis

Anderson was sharp in his first postseason start. Anderson struck out six batters while allowing just three base runners over five innings in a 3-0 win over Milwaukee almost two weeks ago.

However, his Game 2 start against the Dodgers didn’t go well. He allowed six base runners and two earned runs over three innings, putting the Braves in a hole. They rallied to win, but Atlanta needs more from him on Saturday.

Eddie Rosario is red hot for the Braves. He has 11 hits in his last four games, and he was the star of Game 4 with two home runs in a 9-2 win. Rosario had two of Atlanta’s five hits in Game 5 on Thursday and is now hitting .571 in this series.

Freddie Freeman failed to get a hit in the first two games of this series, striking out in his first seven at-bats. He has settled down since that rough start though, collecting six hits in Atlanta’s last three games. Freeman has hit a home run in back-to-back games.

The Braves need more from Austin Riley this weekend. Riley was one of the heroes in the NLDS, but he is 0-13 over the last three games.

Max Scherzer was superb for the Dodgers in the regular season. His overall numbers this postseason are sharp too, as Scherzer is carrying a 12.4 K/9 with a 0.90 WHIP and a 2.16 ERA.

However, Scherzer was shaky in the Wild Card game against St. Louis and wasn’t at his best against Atlanta last week. He was only able to throw 4.1 innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs before Roberts pulled him from the game.

Chris Taylor has had a very memorable postseason. He hit a walk-off home run against St. Louis in the Wild Card game, and he was sensational in Game 5. Taylor became the first player in MLB history to hit three home runs in an elimination game, driving in six runs in the 11-2 win.

Taylor now leads the Dodgers in every major hitting category, but Mookie Betts, Will Smith, and Cody Bellinger aren’t too far off. Bellinger has essentially risen from the dead with this performance, as the 2019 NL MVP was awful during the regular season.

The Dodgers have not had much help out of Justin Turner. The beloved Turner is hitting just .118 with a .416 OPS. Corey Seager is only batting .205 and has an OPS under .700, while Trea Turner has a paltry .516 OPS.

Los Angeles must feel confident in this position after erasing a 3-1 deficit to Atlanta in last year’s NLCS, and some of the pressure is off the Dodgers after they won their first World Series in over three decades in 2020.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves Game 6 Betting Trends

• Atlanta has gone OVER the run total in four straight games when facing Los Angeles.
• Atlanta has trailed after three innings in three of its last four games.
• Atlanta has won eight straight home games when facing a team with a winning record.
• Atlanta has covered the run line in six of its last seven games when facing Los Angeles.

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