MLB Predictions Today: Braves vs. Dodgers NLDS, Yankees vs. Rays ALDS – 10/3/26

The MLB Playoffs roll on today with all four games of the NLDS and ALDS in action, giving us a full day of baseball. Things get underway at 1 p.m. ET with an AL Central showdown between the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians. 

After that, the NL showcases a blockbuster showdown between two powerhouses, the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers. A second divisional bout caps off the AL slate as the New York Yankees head to Tampa to take on the Rays, then Cy Young candidate Jacob Misiorowski and the Milwaukee Brewers host the San Diego Padres.

Below, we'll break down our best MLB predictions today for two of the playoff games in the NLDS and ALDS. We'll also highlight MLB postseason picks for the winner and over/under on PrizePicks.

Unless otherwise noted, data used in this article is from Baseball Savant or FanGraphs.

Make your NLDS and ALDS picks on PrizePicks today.

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Braves vs. Dodgers Prediction, Winner Payout, Over/Under for NLDS Game 1 – Saturday, October 3

After a three-game set against their divisional rival Philadelphia Phillies, the Braves get the prize of taking on the back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers. At the time of writing, the Braves still don’t have their probable pitcher listed, while the Dodgers will start deadline acquisition SP Tarik Skubal.

Skubal only had one start against the Braves this season, and that was as a Detroit Tiger. He pitched 7 innings and had 7 Ks and surrendered 2 ER. The Braves took that game 4-3 while Skubal finished with a no-decision.

This season, the Braves dominated the Dodgers in the regular season with a 5-1 head-to-head record.

Braves vs. Dodgers Winner Payout, Over/Under for NLDS – Saturday, October 3

The Dodgers enter Saturday's game as home favorites against the Braves, returning a 1.42x payout with a win, via PrizePicks.

Here are the full payouts for the Braves vs. Dodgers NLDS Game 1 on PrizePicks.

Make your Braves vs. Dodgers prediction on the spread or over/under on PrizePicks.

Braves vs. Dodgers Prediction on Winner for NLDS – 10/3/26

Here are the key stats and trends behind our Braves vs. Dodgers prediction on the winner for the NLDS on Saturday, October 3.

• Against the Braves' current lineup, Skubal has a 25% K rate but an xwOBA of .380. With the league average being .314, Atlanta may be able to do some damage here.
• Over the last month, the Dodgers have been one of the best teams at avoiding strikeouts, with their hitters doing so only 19.5% of the time.
• The Dodgers are the best pitching team since the start of September, sporting a 3.08 xFIP compared to the Braves' 4.18 mark that puts them 17th leaguewide.
• Over the full season, the Braves ranked 16th in BABIP, but since September, they’re second-to-last in that metric at .268. That slots in ahead of just the Phillies.

Lock in your Braves vs. Dodgers NLDS picks now on PrizePicks.

Yankees vs. Rays Prediction, Winner Payout, Over/Under for ALDS Game 1 – Saturday, October 3

Familiar foes face off when the Rays host the Yankees in the ALDS. New York aims to do one better than last postseason when it defeated the Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card but went on to go out at the hands of another divisional opponent in the Toronto Blue Jays.

Gerrit Cole gets the nod for Game 1 for the Yankees. In his postseason career, Cole has dominated the Rays with a 3-0 record, a 1.67 ERA, and 42 Ks. His last postseason start against them, however, came back in 2020.

Drew Rasmussen will start Game 1 for the Rays. Against the current Yankees lineup, he's allowed just a .163 batting average.

Yankees vs. Rays Winner Payout, Over/Under for ALDS – Saturday, October 3

The Rays enter Saturday's game as home favorites against the Yankees, returning a 1.69x payout with a win, via PrizePicks.

Here are the full payouts for the Yankees vs. Rays ALDS Game 1 on PrizePicks.

Make your Yankees vs. Rays prediction on the spread or over/under on PrizePicks.

Yankees vs. Rays Prediction on Winner for ALDS – 10/3/26

Here are the key stats and trends behind our Yankees vs. Rays prediction on the winner for the ALDS on Saturday, October 3.

• Rasmussen has dominated the Yankees' current lineup, striking them out over 33% of the time with an xwOBA of .230.
• Both teams were on opposite ends of the spectrum regarding regular-season BABIP. The Rays ranked seventh at .296, while the Yankees were 26th at .280. Over the last month however, the Yankees have had a .299 BABIP, which is good for 11th.
• The Yankees have a 24.7% K-rate on the season, the fourth worst in baseball. The Rays, on the other hand, boast baseball's lowest mark at 18.8%.
• While New York 1B Ben Rice dominated the Rays all season, he struggled mightily against Rasmussen, going 1-for-10 with a 50.0% swing-and-miss clip.

Lock in your Yankees vs. Rays ALDS picks now on PrizePicks.

Make MLB Playoff Picks on PrizePicks

The second round of the MLB Playoffs get underway today. Will it be Atlanta or Los Angeles capturing Game 1 of the NLDS, and which side could come out on top between New York and Tampa Bay? Those are just two of the four games baseball fans can find action on at PrizePicks.

Don’t wait until the first pitch — make your NLDS and ALDS picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.

Pick players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if you’re right. With Team Picks, you can make predictions on MLB game winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 36 states.

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