Los Angeles Dodgers vs Atlanta Braves Picks and Prediction for Thursday, August 27, 2026

The Los Angeles Dodgers visit the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Thursday, with first pitch scheduled for 7:15 PM ET. Los Angeles is 80-52 and leads the NL West by 9.5 games. The Dodgers are 4-1 over their last five after Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to Atlanta. The Braves are 77-55, first in the NL East with a 4.5-game lead over Philadelphia. Atlanta is 3-2 over its last five and has won two straight. The Braves took Tuesday’s series opener 4-3, with Wednesday’s game still to be played in the provided schedule. Cash in Thursday with our free MLB picks.

Los Angeles Dodgers Bring a Deep Lineup to Atlanta

Los Angeles has one of baseball’s strongest offenses, ranking second in MLB with a .258 batting average. The Dodgers have scored 656 runs while recording 167 home runs, a .335 on-base percentage and a .426 slugging percentage. Before Tuesday’s one-run loss, Los Angeles had won four consecutive games, scoring 19 runs during that stretch. The Dodgers are also 40-26 away from home this season.

Shohei Ohtani leads Los Angeles with 30 home runs and 80 RBI while batting .287 with a .388 on-base percentage and .546 slugging percentage. Freddie Freeman leads the club with a .299 batting average and 145 hits, while Andy Pages has 21 homers and 80 RBI. The Dodgers also rank sixth in MLB pitching with a 3.67 ERA and an excellent 1.16 WHIP, while opponents are batting only .218 against them.

Injuries: Bobby Miller (60-Day IL), Blake Treinen (60-Day IL), Ben Casparius (60-Day IL), Will Klein (15-Day IL), Will Smith (60-Day IL).

Atlanta Braves Continue Strong Play at Truist Park

Atlanta enters Thursday with three wins in its last five games. The Braves beat the Dodgers 4-3 on Tuesday after defeating Milwaukee 4-2 in their previous game. Atlanta has also been very difficult to beat at Truist Park, going 43-23 at home. The Braves have scored 618 runs this season with 168 home runs while batting .247 with a .311 on-base percentage and .411 slugging percentage.

Matt Olson is Atlanta’s biggest power threat with 36 home runs, 77 RBI and a .533 slugging percentage. Michael Harris II leads the Braves with a .293 batting average and 141 hits while adding 21 home runs and 72 RBI. Drake Baldwin is batting .270 with a team-high .353 on-base percentage and 21 homers. Atlanta also ranks fifth in MLB pitching with a 3.60 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and .231 opponent batting average.

Injuries: Reynaldo Lopez (15-Day IL), Joe Jimenez (60-Day IL), Robert Suarez (15-Day IL), Spencer Strider (60-Day IL), Spencer Schwellenbach (60-Day IL).

Pitching Matchup

Los Angeles Dodgers – Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Yamamoto is 12-7 with a 2.61 ERA and 0.90 WHIP across 151.2 innings. The right-hander has allowed 101 hits, 35 walks and 15 home runs while striking out 145. Yamamoto has allowed far fewer hits than innings pitched and has kept his baserunner rate exceptionally low, with his 0.90 WHIP highlighting his ability to avoid extended innings.

Atlanta Braves – Chris Sale

Sale is 12-9 with a 2.20 ERA and 1.03 WHIP through 135 innings. The left-hander has allowed 111 hits, 28 walks and only eight home runs while recording 166 strikeouts. Sale has issued seven fewer walks than Yamamoto and recorded 21 more strikeouts despite pitching 16.2 fewer innings, while his 2.20 ERA is the better mark entering Thursday.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Atlanta Braves Game Pick

• Atlanta Braves

Atlanta gets the call in a matchup between two division leaders with excellent starting pitchers. Sale owns a 2.20 ERA with 166 strikeouts and only 28 walks, while the Braves have gone 43-23 at Truist Park this season. Atlanta also ranks fifth in MLB with a 3.60 team ERA and already won Tuesday’s opener 4-3. Los Angeles has the stronger overall record and better offensive numbers, but Sale’s pitching and Atlanta’s strong home results provide enough support to back the Braves on Thursday afternoon.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Atlanta Braves Over/Under Pick

• Under

Runs could be difficult to produce with Yamamoto and Sale controlling the early innings. Yamamoto owns a 2.61 ERA and 0.90 WHIP, while Sale enters with an even lower 2.20 ERA and has allowed only eight home runs in 135 innings. Both clubs also rank inside MLB’s top six in team ERA, with Atlanta at 3.60 and Los Angeles at 3.67. Tuesday’s series opener finished 4-3, and Thursday’s starting matchup gives both pitching staffs a strong opportunity to keep scoring limited throughout the game.