Los Angeles Dodgers vs Atlanta Braves Picks and Prediction for Wednesday August 26, 2026

The Los Angeles Dodgers head to Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, to face the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET, with coverage on MLB.TV and MLB Network. Los Angeles enters the game at 80-51 overall and 40-25 on the road, while Atlanta is 76-55 overall and an impressive 42-23 at home.

The Dodgers come into Wednesday riding a six-game winning streak and have won each of their last five games. Atlanta has been more uneven recently, going 2-3 across its last five. The Braves did pick up a 4-2 win over Milwaukee in their most recent completed game, but the current-form advantage belongs to a Los Angeles club that has consistently found ways to win tight games.

At the time of this writing the odds were not released.

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Starting Pitchers

Los Angeles is expected to start Roki Sasaki, who enters at 5-5 with a 4.42 ERA and 1.30 WHIP over 116 innings. He has allowed 105 hits, struck out 114 and walked 46 while surrendering 21 home runs. Sasaki’s strikeout production is respectable, but the home-run total represents an obvious concern against an Atlanta lineup with considerable power.

Atlanta counters with AJ Smith-Shawver, who has made limited appearances and owns a 6.23 ERA with a 1.62 WHIP through 8.2 innings. He has allowed nine hits, issued five walks and recorded seven strikeouts. The sample size is small, but the early numbers suggest Los Angeles should have opportunities to put runners on base and create scoring chances.

Dodgers Carry the Momentum

Los Angeles enters Wednesday at 80-51 and owns one of the strongest records in baseball. The Dodgers are also 40-25 away from home and have won six straight games. Their latest five victories include wins of 4-0, 4-3 and 5-4 over Pittsburgh, followed by road wins of 6-4 and 7-6 over Colorado.

The Dodgers are batting .258 with 1,140 hits, 653 runs and 167 home runs. They also carry a .335 on-base percentage and .426 slugging percentage. Those offensive numbers give Los Angeles the edge over Atlanta in batting average, runs, on-base percentage and slugging percentage, while the two teams are essentially even in home-run production.

Los Angeles also owns a 3.67 team ERA and 1.16 WHIP, with opponents batting only .217. That WHIP is particularly impressive and suggests the Dodgers do an excellent job limiting baserunners. Even with Sasaki carrying some home-run risk, the overall staff numbers remain a significant strength.

Braves Remain Dangerous at Home

Atlanta enters at 76-55 overall and owns an excellent 42-23 home record. The Braves have not been as consistent recently, but their 4-2 victory over Milwaukee showed they remain capable of beating strong opponents. Atlanta has also played Los Angeles well this season, holding a 2-1 advantage in the season series entering this set of games.

The Braves are batting .246 with 1,092 hits, 614 runs and 168 home runs. Their .311 on-base percentage and .411 slugging percentage trail Los Angeles, although Atlanta has actually hit one more home run. Power remains one of the Braves’ best offensive weapons, and that could matter against a starter who has allowed 21 homers.

Atlanta’s pitching numbers are also strong at the team level. The Braves carry a 3.60 ERA and 1.25 WHIP while allowing opponents to bat .231. Their ERA is actually slightly better than Los Angeles, although the Dodgers have been substantially better at preventing baserunners. The issue Wednesday is whether Atlanta can receive enough innings from its starter to prevent Los Angeles from attacking an early-game weakness.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Atlanta Braves Picks and Prediction

Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers Moneyline

Los Angeles gets the nod because the Dodgers enter with the stronger combination of recent form, offensive production and starting-pitcher reliability. They have won six consecutive games, are 40-25 on the road and own clear advantages over Atlanta in batting average, runs scored, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Smith-Shawver has worked only 8.2 innings but enters with a 6.23 ERA and 1.62 WHIP, which is a difficult profile to trust against a lineup producing at Los Angeles’ level. Atlanta’s outstanding home record keeps this from being an easy matchup, but the pick is the Los Angeles Dodgers moneyline.

Pick: Over 8.5

Take the over if the total is set at 8.5. Both clubs have legitimate home-run power, with Atlanta at 168 homers and Los Angeles at 167, while Sasaki has surrendered 21 home runs in 116 innings. The bigger factor is the Atlanta starter, whose 6.23 ERA and 1.62 WHIP leave significant early scoring potential for the Dodgers. Los Angeles has also scored at least four runs in each of its last five games. Atlanta possesses enough power to contribute against Sasaki, making Over 8.5 the preferred total.

This preview was completed on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, before play. Any lineup changes, pitching changes, injuries, scratches, or betting-line movement occurring after that time are not reflected in this analysis.