Steve Webb
ATLANTA, GA — As the Dodgers roll into Atlanta this weekend, they are going to encounter something of an anomaly: a Braves team that just might not make the playoffs. Heading into this weekend’s play, the Braves are neck and neck with a resurgent Mets team to lock down the final of the three Wild Card spots for the National League. A far cry from a team that was expected to go deep into the postseason in 2024. However, key injuries (Ronald Acuna Jr., Spencer Strider) have gutted the once-powerful Braves lineup and the team that they will trot out against the Dodgers this weekend will be but a shadow of what this club could be.
However, that doesn’t make the matchup any less significant. And I wouldn’t be surprised if these two end up tussling again in October. In fact, the postseason history between the Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves is filled with intense moments, defining games, and historic rivalries. As two of the National League’s premier franchises, they’ve met multiple times in October, with the stakes always high. Dodgers fans remember many of these matchups fondly, as these battles have often propelled Los Angeles closer to championship glory.
Early Postseason Meetings: The 1990s
Of course, for the first 75 years of these two storied franchises, there were no postseason meetings because of their both being in the National League. The closest we got to such a matchup was the 1959 season, when the two teams finished the season with identical 86-68 records. A tie-breaker series was held in Milwaukee (the Braves home at the time), and the Dodgers swept the Braves en route to their first West Coast World Series championship.
However, beyond that, the the postseason rivalry between the Dodgers and the Braves truly began in the 1990s, when the Braves were moved to the NL East as part of that year’s realignment. This was during the Braves’ run of amazing run of dominance in that decade. After moving to Atlanta, the Braves became a powerhouse in the National League, consistently making the playoffs throughout the decade. Their first significant postseason clash came in the 1996 National League Division Series (NLDS).
For the Dodgers, this series was a test of whether they could overcome the Braves’ stellar pitching, featuring the likes of Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz. Atlanta’s pitching proved too much, and the Dodgers were swept in three games. Though the Dodgers fought valiantly, they couldn’t break through against the Braves’ dynasty-in-the-making.
2013 NLDS: Dodgers Strike Back
Fast forward to 2013, and the Dodgers were ready for revenge. After several years of rebuilding, the Dodgers reemerged as a force, led by a powerful lineup and Clayton Kershaw in his prime. The Braves, who had won the National League East, had the home-field advantage for this series, but the Dodgers were undeterred.
Game 1 set the tone, with Kershaw delivering a stellar performance, striking out 12 batters over seven innings in a 6-1 Dodgers victory. Los Angeles would win the series in four games, with Juan Uribe’s dramatic two-run home run in Game 4 sealing the series for the Dodgers. This marked the start of the Dodgers’ dominance in the National League and a crucial step towards their eventual World Series contention in the years that followed. The playoff run for LA that year stalled in the next round, though, when the Cardinals won in six games. The series marked the beginning of what would be several consecutive October disappointments for the Dodgers.
2018 NLDS: Dodgers Keep Rolling
The road to the World Series ran through Atlanta in 2018 as the Dodgers were hoping to go to the Fall Classic in back-to-back years. The two teams met again in the NLDS that year, with both squads having much to prove. The Dodgers, fresh off a World Series appearance in 2017, were hungry to get back to the Fall Classic, while the Wild Card Braves were looking to re-establish themselves as a contender after a few rebuilding years.
Once again, the Dodgers asserted their dominance. They won Game 1 behind a home run barrage, while Kershaw delivered a vintage performance in Game 2, pitching eight scoreless innings. The Braves managed to avoid a sweep with a win in Game 3, but the Dodgers closed the series in four games, thanks in part to Manny Machado’s big three-run home run that broke the game open. This victory pushed Los Angeles one step closer to another World Series berth. That year ended with a whimper against the Red Sox in the Series, but the Dodgers were on the cusp of some of their greatest years.
2020 NLCS: A Battle for the Ages
Perhaps the most memorable postseason clash between these two franchises came in the 2020 National League Championship Series (NLCS). Played in the neutral site of Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the series was one of the most thrilling in recent memory. The Braves quickly jumped out to a 3-1 series lead, putting the Dodgers’ World Series dreams on the brink of collapse.
However, in true Dodger fashion, the team refused to go quietly. The pivotal Game 5 saw catcher Will Smith hit a crucial three-run homer off Braves reliever Will Smith, keeping the Dodgers alive. Game 6 was dominated by another standout performance by Kershaw, and by Game 7, it was clear that momentum had swung firmly in Los Angeles’ favor.
In the decisive Game 7, the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts made a critical defensive play, robbing Freddie Freeman of a home run, and Cody Bellinger provided the game-winning blast with a towering home run. The Dodgers completed their comeback, winning the series 4-3, and punched their ticket to the World Series. This remarkable comeback is etched in Dodgers lore as one of the greatest postseason moments in franchise history, especially as they went on to win their first World Series title in 32 years. Sadly, that was the year of the pandemic so very few Dodger fans actually got a chance to witness this great run in person.
2021 NLCS: Braves Get Their Revenge
The 2021 NLCS was a rematch of the previous year, but this time, the Braves came in with something to prove. The Dodgers were once again one of the best teams in baseball, but the Braves had been underestimated all season. They quickly showed that 2021 was different by taking a commanding 3-1 series lead, similar to the previous year.
While the Dodgers once again fought back to force a Game 6 (again Belli with the clutch homer), the Braves refused to let history repeat itself. Behind stellar pitching and clutch performances from Eddie Rosario, the Braves closed out the series in six games, en route to their first World Series title since 1995. In the end, the regular season battle for the division with the Giants had left the Dodgers as a spent force when they rolled into Atlanta. And, since they were the Wild Card that year, they didn’t have home field advantage despite winning a dozen more games than the Braves. It was a big fat bummer all the way around. Dodgers fans were left disappointed, but they couldn’t deny the Braves’ brilliance in the series.
A Rivalry Continues
The last two years, however, both teams have been sunk by the new format, not even making it out of the divisional round, robbing baseball fans a chance to see the best teams in the league go head-to-head for the pennant. But, as the Dodgers and Braves continue to be two of the National League’s top teams, future postseason matchups seem inevitable. As it stands now, the two teams are dead even at 12-12 in the postseason. Whether or not they are headed for an October matchup in 2024 remains to be seen. However, one thing is certain: For Dodgers fans, the postseason rivalry with the Braves is a source of both pride and frustration. But above all, it’s a reminder of the excitement and unpredictability that makes October baseball so special.
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