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Following a full four-game schedule of MLB divisional series on Saturday, the National League headlines Sunday, October 4, with a doubleheader. Heavyweights collide when the Braves vs. Dodgers begin Game 2 of the NLDS at 8:00 p.m. ET on FS1.
Los Angeles made its 2026 MLB Playoffs debut with a 5-3 over Atlanta on Saturday, and the Dodgers are once again favored with a 1.61x payout to win today, per PrizePicks. After falling in a 5-1 hole in Game 1, the Braves are looking to make a quicker start on Sunday.
Below, we’ll break down our Braves vs. Dodgers prediction for NLDS Game 2, following by player picks for PrizePicks.
Make your Braves vs. Dodgers picks for the NLDS on PrizePicks now!
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Braves vs. Dodgers Prediction, Winner, Over/Under for NLDS Game 2 – Sunday, October 4
The Dodgers have been consistently tabbed as the World Series favorite, and that continues following Saturday’s 5-3 win over the Braves, featuring a 2.56x payout to win the World Series on PrizePicks.
Los Angeles boasts an absurd starting pitcher rotation of Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow. After Skubal gave up only 2 hits in NLDS Game 2, the Braves will face another elite arm in SP Blake Snell (1.90 ERA, 2.17 xERA in 9 GS). The 2025 World Series MVP, Yamamoto, is expected to be the third starter for this series — showcasing the absurd quality of the rotation.
Frankly, Atlanta is in big trouble in this best-of-five series, with just a 4x payout to win the series compared to the Dodgers’ 1.19x via PrizePicks. The Braves essentially have two starting pitchers for the postseason, Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle, thanks to a load of injuries.
Sale appeared in 6.1 innings with 95 pitches in Game 1 of the Wild Card series vs. the Phillies, followed by 1.1 innings and 21 pitches for Game 3 on Thursday. With that said, the Braves’ ace may not make his next start until NLDS Game 3 on Tuesday, October 6.
As of this writing, Atlanta has yet to announce its starter for tonight. Manager Walt Weiss discussed if Sale could start in Game 2.
If Sale does not take the mound, that means another bullpen game for the Braves. Atlanta leaned on its bullpen in Game 1, and that led to giving up 3 home runs during Saturday’s 5-3 loss.
Considering the Dodgers’ deep starting rotation, the Braves are extremely reliant on their batting order to produce in the NLDS. That was the case vs. the Phillies, averaging 4.7 runs per game while allowing 3.0.
Braves vs. Dodgers Winner Payout, Over/Under for MLB Playoffs – Sunday, October 4
With a potential starting pitcher advantage, the Dodgers are clear favorites with a 1.61x payout to win on Sunday.
Here are the full payouts for the Braves vs. Dodgers game on PrizePicks, including winner payouts, the spread, and over/under.
Make your Braves vs. Dodgers prediction on the spread on PrizePicks.
PrizePicks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
Braves vs. Dodgers Prediction on Spread for NLDS Game 2 – 10/4/26
During the regular season, the Braves had a .240/.300/.396 slash line vs. left-handed pitching. Further, Atlanta’s .306 wOBA (tied for 21st) and 91 wRC+ (tied for 24th) in the split finished in the bottom 10, per FanGraphs.
The Dodgers elected to lead with their lefties for this exact reason. In Game 1, left-handed Tarik Skubal frustrated the Braves by allowing only 2 hits while stacking 7 strikeouts in the 5-3 win. Now, the Braves get to battle another elite lefty in Blake Snell, who has a 1.13 ERA over eight starts since returning from injury on August 11.
Additionally, Snell posted a 2.23 xERA or lower in four of his last five starts. According to Baseball Savant, Snell’s most-used pitch is a four-seam fastball (49.5%), and Atlanta’s -37.1 runs above average against fastballs finished last in the regular season.
Picking the spread for NLDS Game 2 hinges on the Braves’ decision surrounding Chris Sale. We know the Dodgers have another great pitching matchup on deck, and if Atlanta rolls out another bullpen game, this may mean another comfortable win for Los Angeles.
Over the last 30 days, the Braves’ bullpen has a 3.90 xERA (13th) while giving up 1.57 HR/9 (29th). In Dodger Stadium, which has the most home runs (123) for Baseball Savant’s Park Factors over the last three seasons, L.A. could have more big flies ahead, similar to Game 1’s 3-home run total.
Lock in your Braves vs. Dodgers prediction on PrizePicks before the first pitch.
Braves vs. Dodgers Picks, Player Stats for NLDS on PrizePicks – 10/4/26
The top Braves vs. Dodgers player picks for NLDS Game 2 on PrizePicks include Ozzie Albies and Blake Snell.
Braves 2B Ozzie Albies vs. Dodgers: 5 Hitter Fantasy Score
- Atlanta’s order couldn’t get going in Game 1, totaling only 4 hits. However, Ozzie Albies helped cut the 5-1 deficit with a 2-run home run in the ninth inning.
- After logging a .136 batting average in September, Albies is showing up for October baseball, logging a hit in four straight games with a .333/.529/1.000 slash line.
- Thanks to 1 triple and 1 home run in the MLB Playoffs, Albies has 5 RBIs over four postseason contests.
- According to Sports Reference, Albies has a career .333/.333/.417 slash line over 12 at-bats vs. Blake Snell.
- In his last four games, Albies has surpassed this fantasy score in three contests with a 14.8 per-game average in the four-game split.
Add Ozzie Albies to your PrizePicks lineup now.
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Dodgers SP Blake Snell vs. Braves: 6.5 Strikeouts
- Thanks to 6.1 innings and 94 pitches from Tarik Skubal in Game 1, the Dodgers needed only 52 pitches from their bullpen on Saturday.
- With plenty of fresh arms ready, Los Angeles could pull Snell early — especially with the bullpen boasting a league-best 2.72 xERA over the last 30 days.
- Snell has a strong 31.8% strikeout rate, but he’s totaled 6.1 Ks per start over nine appearances this season.
- On May 9, Snell logged 5 strikeouts vs. the Braves, and the veteran hurler has only 4 Ks over his previous two appearances.
- Atlanta has a low 21.6% K rate (tied for 10th-lowest) on the season, and that’s continued with a 21.6% total over the previous 30 days.
Pick Blake Snell + Dodgers to win on PrizePicks.
Make Braves vs. Dodgers Picks on PrizePicks
With a 1-0 deficit in the NLDS, the Braves are in deep trouble in Los Angeles. Atlanta has a thin starting pitcher rotation, adding to the challenge of taking down the two-time defending World Series champions.
Don’t wait until the first pitch — make your Braves vs. Dodgers picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.
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