Dave Dombrowski, Phillies president of baseball operations, spoke with Cora about becoming their manager in 2027, but Cora informed Dombrowski he’s taking the season off, according to a high-ranking Phillies executive with direct knowledge of their talks told USA TODAY Sports.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Phillies still have not decided who will manage their team.
Cora, who won a World Series with the Red Sox with Dombrowski in 2018, was offered the Phillies’ job in April before firing Rob Thomson, and he declined it, saying he wanted to spend the rest of the summer with his family.
Now, after being pursued again, he declined, with Cora still owed about $7.25 million from the Red Sox in 2027 as the third and final year of his three-year, $21.75 million contract.
Cora did not immediately respond to a text message from USA TODAY Sports.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 06: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves looks on during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game three of the National League Division Series at Truist Park on October 06, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welp, that wasn’t ideal!
The home field advantage that the Atlanta Braves snatched away from the Los Angeles Dodgers has slipped right out of Atlanta’s fingers thanks to a brilliant Yoshinobu Yamamoto and more power hitting from the Dodgers. They still haven’t scored with anything but homers and unfortunately Chris Sale was the latest victim of LA’s obsession with the long ball.
“They did a nice job of really grinding the at-bats and passing the baton,” conceded manager Walt Weiss when he was asked about the Dodgers’ approach against Sale in the postgame press conference. “[Sale] had to work hard. He had to work hard to get the outs that he got. He looked like Chris Sale to me [but] they did a nice job.”
Weiss also stated that he felt like Sale’s stuff was still good but the command may not have been there in his eyes. Either way, there’s no way around it: The Dodgers were better on this particular night and they did a solid job of bouncing back from Sale’s dominant outing when this team came to visit back in August.
With that being said, I’d imagine that the thing that’s on every Braves fan’s mind right now is that this lineup has got to start hitting consistently — and soon. While Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the rest of LA’s pitching staff is as imposing as it gets and it’s a much easier said-than-done task on Atlanta’s hands, it’s still the Postseason and the Braves are here for a reason — they’ve got to find a way to make something happen against this pitching staff.
That goes doubly for the stars like Drake Baldwin, Matt Olson and Ronald Acuña Jr., who have stayed largely dormant during this series so far. It was another quiet night for Acuña in particular, who has been picking up hits and getting on base but not at the rate or level that you’d expect out of a superstar-caliber player. Acuña had another chance to make something happen in a big moment in Game 3 when the fifth inning rolled around and he had a chance with two men in scoring position and two outs.
It could’ve been a special moment had Acuña come through and either tied the game with a knock or even electrified the stadium with a dinger. Instead, Acuña grounded out again and the moment went by the wayside. That ended up being Atlanta’s best chance of the night and the face of the franchise came up short again.
While it’s not just Acuña who has been underwhelming at the plate so far during this Postseason, it’s on him as the star of this ballclub to step up in the situations where the stars need to shine. While Acuña might have been dealing with a sore knee, it’s not an excuse — Weiss stated in the pregame that he hasn’t seen Acuña suffer any ill effects from the lower leg contusion that he sustained in the final week of the regular season and also Acuña’s knee was still in good enough position for him to play tonight.
If he’s not pressing at the plate (which Weiss insisted both during the pregame press conference and the postgame presser as well) then something’s got to change. If I knew what needed to change, I’d be getting paid a lot of money working in baseball instead of writing about it so it’s on Acuña and the coaching staff to figure it out. With their backs in the wall, the Braves are going to need everybody to contribute and hopefully the face of the franchise can finally lift his game for the Postseason before it’s too late.
It’ll also be on Tyler Mahle to make something happen on the mound for the Braves in Game 4. In the pregame presser before Game 3, Mahle at least expressed confidence that he’ll be up for the challenge for his start with Atlanta’s backs facing the wall. “…All you can do out there is make pitches. I’m not trying to trick them. [The Dodgers] know. They’ve seen me,” said Mahle when he was asked about approaching the Dodgers lineup in Game 4. “I’m sure they’re going to watch film, whatever. So it’s making pitches at the right times and that’s all you can hope to do.”
With that being said, the Dodgers also appear to be ready for the challenge of getting it right against Mahle with a trip to the NLCS in sight. Freddie Freeman spoke with the media following Game 3 and he talked about how the Dodgers plan to deal with Mahle on Wednesday evening. “If you’re chasing splitters down below, you’re going to be in trouble,” explained Freeman when he was asked about dealing with Mahle. “Just like we did with Sale, you gotta get him in the zone, get him off the bottom and hopefully he makes mistakes and you’re on time for them.”
“I wish baseball was so much more of ‘This is what we’re gonna do’ but sometimes we strip it down and it’s not that complicated. If we can just get him up off the bottom of the zone, hopefully we can have some great success tomorrow. We’ve gotta treat every game like an elimination game.”
All the way back in April, Mahle threw seven shutout innings against the Dodgers as a member of the Giants. A repeat performance will be sorely needed for the Braves and a star-making performance from any of the stars in this lineup would also be greatly appreciated as well.
The moment is there for Atlanta, they’ve just got to rise up to it and make something happen. We’ll see how it goes as the Braves play with the season on the line on Wednesday night in Cobb County.
Let him press his golden right hand into wet cement on Hollywood Boulevard.
What’s the wait?
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is only in his third season with the Dodgers, and the 28-year-old Japanese right-hander is already one of the greatest postseason pitchers in franchise history.
He produced his latest October masterpiece on Tuesday night in a 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park that shifted the balance of their National League Division Series back in the Dodgers’ favor.
Yamamoto was dealing, and the Dodgers now have a chance to close out the series on Wednesday after taking a two-games-to-one lead in the best-of-five series.
“Wow,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
How else could he describe the seven innings over which Yamamoto limited the Braves to one run and four hits?
The 10-strikeout performance further solidified the Dodgers’ belief in Yamamoto, who was the World Series MVP last year.
“He’s becoming one of the best pitchers on this stage,” infielder Miguel Rojas said. “Obviously, he hasn’t won a Cy Young here or been the best pitcher in the league, but we feel like very time he takes the mound, he’s the best pitcher for us.”
Yamamoto was pushed by the memory of the last time he pitched in this stadium against Sale. In that late August start, Yamamoto limited the Braves to a run in 6 ⅓ innings. Sale pitched a complete-game shutout, and the Braves won, 1-0.
“The last time I was here, I gave up the go-ahead run and we lost because he was able to hold us,” Yamamoto said in Japanese. “I was extremely mindful about the first run.”
While the Dodgers’ lineup made Sale work by extending at-bats, Yamamoto cruised through the first three innings. The only hit Yamamoto gave up over that span was a bunt single by Michael Harris II in the second inning.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws a pitch during the first inning of the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the Braves in Game 3 of their NLDS series on Oct. 6, 2026 in Atlanta. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Maurico Dubón stole a home run from Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman by reaching over the left-field fence in the top of the third inning, but the Braves couldn’t turn that moment of jubilation into sustained momentum. Yamamoto wouldn’t allow it, retiring the Braves in order in the bottom half of the inning.
Finally, in the fourth inning, Sale broke. He gave up a two-run home run to Kiké Hernández, then a solo shot to Freeman. The Dodgers were up, 3-0.
Yamamoto’s first and only encounter with trouble came in the fifth inning. Yamamoto started the inning by giving up back-to-back singles to Dubón and Lane Thomas. With one out, he walked pinch hitter Rowdy Tellez to load the bases. A groundout by Drake Baldwn pushed in a run.
Up next was Ronald Acuña, the former NL MVP.
The showdown was representative of Yamamoto’s mindset. Yamamoto was determined to take on Acuña, or anyone else for that matter, on his terms. Even after falling behind in the count, 3-1, Yamamoto refused to throw a strike for the sake of throwing a strike. He still had a two-run lead. If he walked Acuña and forced in a run, he could preserve his team’s advantage by retiring the next batter.
Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto added to his playoff lore with his one-run over seven-inning gem in their Game 3 win over the Braves. AP
Yamamoto threw a splitter that just nicked the bottom of the strike zone, Acuña grounded out to second base, and the Dodgers maintained their 3-1 lead.
Limiting damage, Yamamoto said, was prioritized over efficiency.
“As long as I didn’t give up runs, I didn’t mind if I ran up my pitch count,” Yamamoto said. “I was going to throw the ball in places in which it would be difficult to hit.”
Turned out he didn’t have to make that sacrifice.
Yamamoto completed seven innings in 98 pitches, which spared Roberts the torture of using any relievers other than Tanner Scott and Edwin Diaz.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, how held the Braves to just one run over seven innings, stands on the mound during the Dodgers’ Game 3 win over the Braves. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Tarik Skubal, who pitched six shutout innings in a Game 1 victory, was already an admirer of Yamamoto before the Dodgers acquired him from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline. Sharing a locker room with Yamamoto over the last couple of months further intensified his respect for him.
“Nobody’s more deserving to go out there and perform and have success,” Skubal said. “He does everything the right way. He works his [butt] off. He’s relentless.”
Skubal marveled at Yamamoto’s distinctive training regimen.
“I’m never going to be doing what he’s doing,” Skubal said. “I’m not throwing javelins. The way he prepares is insane. He’s doing headstands. I’m not doing that. I weigh a little bit more than he does.”
Skubal chuckled.
Skubal is listed at 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, and Yamamoto 5-foot-10, 176 pounds.
But the more Skubal spoke about Yamamoto, the more it became clear he viewed Yamamoto as a figurative giant.
“You want a guy on the mound in any situation,” Skubal said, “it’s probably him.”
ATLANTA — Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out 10 in seven innings, Kiké Hernández hit a two-run homer and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Tuesday night to take a 2-1 lead in their NL Division Series.
Yamamoto dominated the much-anticipated matchup with Atlanta ace Chris Sale, who allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings. Yamamoto, the MVP of the 2025 World Series, permitted only four hits with one walk while improving to 8-1 in his postseason career.
The Dodgers can win the best-of-five series and take another step in their attempt to become the first National League team to win three consecutive World Series titles by beating the Braves again Wednesday night in Game 4.
The Braves hoped giving Sale extra rest would be a winning formula in the pivotal third game. Instead, after stranding six runners in the first three innings, he gave up the two-run homer to Hernández and a solo shot to Freddie Freeman in the fourth.
Ozzie Albies opened the Atlanta ninth with a double off the right-center wall against Edwin Díaz and moved to third on Micheal Harris II’s groundout. Díaz stranded the runner when Mauricio Dubón fouled out to right field and Mike Yastrzemski grounded out to shortstop Mookie Betts.
Dubón made a leaping catch over the left-field wall to rob Freeman of a home run in the third. Freeman wouldn’t be denied an inning later. Hernández’s homer to left drove in Andy Pages, who singled. One out later, Freeman pulled his 18th career postseason homer to right field for a 3-0 lead.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts moved designated hitter Shohei Ohtani down to No. 5 in the lineup because Ohtani was 3 for 15 in his career against Sale. Ohtani went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts against Sale when the Dodgers lost 1-0 on Aug. 26 in Atlanta.
Roberts correctly predicted Ohtani would have opportunities with runners on base hitting lower in the order.
With runners on first and second in the first, Sale struck out Ohtani to end the inning. With two runners on base in the third, Ohtani reached on catcher’s interference by Drake Baldwin to load the bases before Miguel Rojas ended the inning with a flyball to right field. Ohtani walked to lead off the eighth against Brent Suter, Atlanta’s fourth pitcher.
Baldwin’s bases-loaded grounder to first base drove in Dubón, who singled, in the fifth for Atlanta’s only run off Yamamoto.
Rojas left during an at-bat in the eighth. The second baseman appeared to injure his back on a swing and was replaced by Tommy Edman. The Dodgers announced the injury as lower back pain.
Tanner Scott added two strikeouts in a scoreless eighth for Los Angeles.
Up next
Braves right-hander Tyler Mahle is expected to face Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow in Game 4 on Wednesday night. Mahle said Tuesday an abdominal pull is now a “non-issue.” He felt the pull before allowing one run in seven innings of a 4-3 loss to Philadelphia in 10 innings during the NL Wild Card Series last week.
The Dodgers' Freddie Freeman follows through on a solo home run off a pitch from Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale. (Mike Stewart / Associated Press)
The Dodgers went into Game 3 of the National League Division Series knowing they couldn’t be so reliant on the home run, especially with Braves ace Chris Sale on the mound. And yet, in a 3-1 win, it was the home run ball, paired with a masterful performance on the mound from right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, that secured the victory.
The Dodgers pulled ahead to a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. All 10 of their runs in the NLDS have come via homer.
The Dodgers tried to score in other ways, putting on six baserunners in the first three innings of the game. But it didn’t work.
They failed to take advantage of some luck and poor defense from the Braves in the first inning, as Mookie Betts beat out a soft groundball up the first base line and Teoscar Hernández reached on a fielding error by Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim.
The lineup shuffling manager Dave Roberts did against Sale had superstar Shohei Ohtani, batting fifth, walking up to the plate with two outs and runners on first and second. His over-anxious approach at the plate so far this postseason followed him into the at-bat. And he struck out whiffing on a slider in the opposite batter’s box.
The next inning, Kyle Tucker hit a two-out single into left, baited Sale into picking over to first base twice, and then stole second. But he was stranded there, as Kiké Hernández went down swinging. All six of the Dodgers’ outs in the first two innings came via the strikeout.
In the third, the Dodgers loaded the bases. Betts started the effort with a single through the left side of the infield. And it looked for a moment as if Freddie Freeman had capitalized on the opportunity with a runner in scoring position.
He stayed back on a fastball and crushed it to deep left field, on a trajectory to just clear the short fence. But Braves left fielder Mauricio Dubón made a leaping catch, holding into the ball as he slammed into the wall.
Undeterred, the Dodgers kept putting runners on base. With two outs, Will Smith stayed through a slider to single. Ohtani clipped Braves catcher Drake Baldwin’s mitt and was awarded first base for catcher’s interference. Then Miguel Rojas, who’d exit the game in the eighth inning mid-at-bat with what the Dodgers called low back pain, hit a line drive that found leather to end the inning.
So, back to the long ball.
Perennial postseason hero Kiké Hernández delivered the first blow. With Andy Pages on first, after his first hit of the series, Hernández launched a changeup into the left-field stands. Then, two batters later, Freeman turned on an inside sinker and sent it over the right-field fence — where Dubón had no chance to track it down.
Game 3 was billed as a matchup between aces: Sale, whom the Braves tabbed for Tuesday because of his workload in their wild-card series, and Yamamoto, whom the Dodgers partially held back for the first two games with the NLCS in mind.
Yamamoto held up his end of the bargain, limiting the Braves to four hits and one run in seven innings.
He retired 10 of the first 11 batters he faced. The only baserunner in that time, Michael Harris II, bunted for a single. Yamamoto crashed hard, slipping on the slick grass as he tried to pivot but still managing to make a throw to first from the ground.
He only wavered in the fifth, loading the bases with a pair of singles and a four-pitch walk. The Braves’ batting order turned over, and Yamamoto got Baldwin to ground out to first, but that scored a run. Then he induced Ronald Acuña Jr. to ground out to second to escape the jam. Rojas ranged to his left to field the ball and made an on-target throw even as he slipped on the grass in shallow right field.
Yamamoto didn’t allow another baserunner.
Left-handed reliever Tanner Scott served as the Dodgers’ setup man, throwing a hitless eighth. And right-hander Edwin Díaz came in for his first save opportunity since Aug. 14 against the Brewers.
He gave up a double off the wall to Ozzie Albies to open the inning but retired the next three batters.
SAN DIEGO — Padres closer Mason Miller went on the postseason paternity list Tuesday night with San Diego facing elimination in the NL Division Series.
The intimidating All-Star reliever will miss at least one game, the Padres announced about 45 minutes before the first pitch. Wandy Peralta replaced Miller on the 26-man playoff roster.
Miller was one of the best closers in the majors this season for the Padres. With a fastball that regularly touches 104 mph, Miller converted 38 of his 41 save opportunities and went 5-2 with a 0.90 WHIP and 129 strikeouts over just 70 innings.
But Miller also blew the save in the ninth inning of the Padres’ 4-3 loss to the Brewers in Milwaukee last Sunday, putting San Diego in an 0-2 hole in the best-of-five series.
While attempting to finish a two-inning save, Miller issued three walks before Jackson Chourio delivered a two-out, two-strike, two-RBI single to win it on Miller’s 40th pitch.
Peralta was left off the Padres’ initial NLDS roster despite posting a 3.61 ERA during the regular season as a solid middle reliever.
Miller is the second Padres pitcher to go on the paternity list in this playoff series.
Walker Buehler missed the first two games in Milwaukee while on the list, but replacement Randy Vasquez also didn’t pitch while San Diego lost two straight in Milwaukee. Buehler, who returned to the Padres on Monday, recorded the final outs of the 2024 World Series while earning his first major league save for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
A Los Angeles Dodgers player exits due to lower back pain.
ATLANTA –– During the eighth inning of Game 3 of the NLDS on Tuesday, Dodgers middle infielder Miguel Rojas exited the game with what the team said was low back apin.
Rojas was seen in visible discomfort after fouling off a fastball from Braves reliever Brent Suter.
Miguel Rojas met by Dave Roberts and members of the Dodgers training staff. AP Photo/Mike Stewart
Rojas started limping back toward the batter’s box and was immediately evaluated by a member of the Dodgers’ training staff and manager Dave Roberts.
Tommy Edman replaced Rojas at second base.
Miguel Rojas exits in the eighth inning due to lower back pain. AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
The good news: Rojas said he was “hopeful that everything will be fine,” and manager Dave Roberts didn’t seem overly concerned either.
“[We’ll see] how he comes in tomorrow,” Roberts saod. “Hopefully he feels better tomorrow.”
Rojas went 0-for-3 before departing Tuesday. He has one hit in the series — a double in Saturday’s 5-3 victory.
Rojas was a World Series hero last year after hitting a game-tying home run in Game 7 against the Blue Jays, sending the game to extra innings.
The Dodgers went on to win the game in the 11th when Will Smith hit a go-ahead home run.
In Tuesday’s game, the Dodgers’ offense popped off in the fourth inning, when Kiké Hernández and Freddie Freeman homered to give LA a 3-0 lead.
The Braves scored in the fifth when Drake Baldwin grounded out to first after Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto loaded the bases.
It was later in that inning when Rojas said he first felt back discomfort, after making a tougher-than-it-looked play on a ground ball from Ronald Acuña Jr. deep in the hole at second base.
“I kind of slid right there with the grass,” Rojas said. “My hip and my lower back tightened up.”
Despite that, Rojas tried to take his next at-bat a few innings later, but finally called for a trainer after feeling continued pain on his swing.
“I’m looking forward to being ready to go tomorrow if they need me,” he insisted. “I’m just going to do a couple rounds of treatment today and then see how [I feel when I] wake up tomorrow.”
Miguel Rojas exits in the eighth inning due to lower back pain. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 04: Jackson Chourio #11 of the Milwaukee Brewers is congratulated by his teammates after hitting the game-winning two-run single against the San Diego Padres during the ninth inning in game two of the National League Division Series at American Family Field on October 04, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a heartbreaking game 2 defeat, the San Diego Padres return home to Petco Park to host the Milwaukee Brewers in game 3 of the NLDS. Dustin May will try to nail down the series for the Brewers while the Padres will rely on RHP Nick Pivetta. First pitch is scheduled for 8:30pm central time and the game broadcast is available via Fox/FS1.
What is the point of having a six-man bench full of right-handed hitters if you are only going to use one across three innings against a lefty reliever with your season fading away?
That was the scenario the Yankees faced Monday night in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Rays, trailing 5-1 in the sixth inning when Ian Seymour entered the game.
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Aaron Boone had left-handed hitters Luis García Jr. and Spencer Jones hit for themselves in the sixth inning, then stuck with three more lefties in the seventh (Jazz Chisholm Jr., Trent Grisham and Austin Wells), with Seymour retiring all of them.
Finally in the eighth, Boone pinch hit Paul Goldschmidt for Ryan McMahon, though the veteran righty bat hit a harmless pop-up on the way to another meager offensive performance outside of Ben Rice’s two solo homers.
“Seymour I view as very neutral,” Boone said Tuesday. “So there would’ve been a right-hander I would have used at some point had we gotten runners on base, but by the time he was in the game it was 5-1. So I was playing more of a get on base, see if we could create traffic and then possibly shoot [Giancarlo Stanton] or Goldie or [Heliot] Ramos in a spot there.”
This year, lefties hit .244 with a .789 OPS against Seymour while righties hit .217 with a .683 OPS.
Aaron Boone looks on during the Yankees’ ugly Game 2 loss to the Rays on Oct. 5, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Fla. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
During a regular season in which the Yankees leaned on him heavily, using him in 81 of their 161 games, Brent Headrick mostly delivered, including allowing only 14.8 percent of inherited runners to score — which ranked sixth among qualified relievers.
But after he looked to be running out of gas down the stretch, the left-hander’s dip in velocity has carried over into the playoffs.
His fastball averaged 93.2 mph (down from his season average of 94.1) in Monday’s Game 2, which included giving up a two-run single to Richie Palacios in the fifth inning after a George Lombard Jr. error extended the inning.
“I think we’ve seen velocity from anywhere from 91 to 94 in the last couple outings, so if we can keep him in the 94 range, there’s definitely plenty of effectiveness there,” pitching coach Matt Blake said Tuesday.
“Striking the slider has — obviously — has become a priority, using the offspeed effectively, which he’s done in the second half of the year. Using the splitter a little bit more to the righties, leaning into the slider to both lefties and righties and then he’s got to be effective with his command of the fastball, and ultimately that’s where we’re at this time of year. He’s been used a lot and he’s doing his best to stay fresh down the stretch, but ultimately we got to keep making pitches when it’s important at this time of year.”
After arriving back in New York early Tuesday morning, the Yankees had an optional workout at Yankee Stadium, though Boone had said Monday he hoped most of his players would “stay away” to get some rest.
“Whatever guys feel like they need to do today … hopefully guys were able to sleep at least a little bit and kind of recover today,” Boone said. “And I’m sure there will be some guys in, at least moving around and doing some things behind the scenes to be ready to go [Wednesday].”
Left-hander Wandy Peralta will replace Miller on San Diego’s NLDS roster. Miller must remain away from the club for at least one day and no more than three, and will replace Peralta upon his return.
San Diego Padres’ Mason Miller reacts during the ninth inning of Game 2 of a National League Divisional baseball playoff series against the Milwaukee Brewers. AP Photo/Kayla Wolf
Miller’s absence leaves an enormous hole for a Padres team already staring over the edge after dropping the first two games in Milwaukee.
It was a stunning stumble from one of baseball’s most overpowering relievers.
Mason Miller of the San Diego Padres earns a save in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Getty ImagesMason Miller of the San Diego Padres has a mound visit against the Milwaukee Brewers during the ninth inning. Getty Images
Miller went 5-2 with a 1.67 ERA, 38 saves and 129 strikeouts in 70 innings during the regular season. Last October, he announced himself to the postseason by striking out the first eight batters he faced — the longest such streak to begin a playoff career — while unleashing a 104.5-mph fastball, the fastest tracked pitch in postseason history.
Now the Padres must survive without their human flamethrower.
Nick Pivetta gets the ball in Game 3, but if San Diego carries a late lead Tuesday, somebody else will have to protect it.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 01: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves prepares to throw a pitch during the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in game three of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park on October 01, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves took on the Dodgers tonight in a pivotal game that would give them the 2-1 lead in the NLDS. Chris Sale took on Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The last time these two faced of Sale pitched a complete game shutout and the Braves won 1-0.
The first inning looked great for Sale. He gave up a leadoff single to Betts and Ha-Seong Kim committed an error, but Sale struck out Freeman, Smith and Ohtani. Yamamoto answered with a great inning of his own, striking out the first two hitters and getting Olson to groundout.
In the second, Tucker singled and stole second, but Sale struck out every other hitter he faced. Harris singled in the second for the first base runner for the Braves, but it was the only offense. The third inning got dramatic. Betts singled, but then Dubón robbed Freddie Freeman of a HR.
After a Teoscar Hernández fly out, Smith singled and then Ohtani reached on catcher’s interference to load the bases. Sale was able to get Rojas to line out to end the top of the inning with no damage done. The Braves had zero offense in the third.
The fourth is where it started to fall apart for Sale. Pages singled. Tucker lined out, but then postseason legend Enrique Hernández hit a two-run shot to give the Dodgers a lead. Betts grounded out, but then Freeman added a HR of his own to make the score 3-0. Fortunately, Teoscar Hernández had a 108.4 MPH fly out to end the top of the fourth. Matt Olson singled, but it was the only offense in the fourth for the Braves.
Sale stayed in to pitch the fifth and retired the side to include a strikeout of Will Smith. It looked like the Braves might get some momentum in the fifth with a Dubón single followed by a Thomas single. Riley struck out, but then Tellez pinch hit for Kim and walked to load the bases. Baldwin grounded out to score a run, but then Acuña grounded out himself to end the inning.
Dylan Dodd came in to pitch the sixth. Sale ended his start with 5.0 innings with three earned runs, seven hits, zero walks, and seven strikeouts. Pages had a single, but then Dodd sat down the rest to include two strikeouts. Unfortunately, the Braves did not do any better as they were retired in order.
Dylan Lee came in to pitch the seventh. He has been struggling lately, but it did make sense to bring him in here. He was able to retire the side to keep the game close. The bottom of the lineup looked like the bottom of the lineup for the Braves as they were sat down in order again in the seventh.
Brent Suter came in to pitch the eighth. An interesting choice. He walked Ohtani on seven pitches. Rojas then tweaked something and was replaced by Edman who popped up. Suter then prevented anymore offense. Tanner Scott then came in to replace Yamamoto. Hicklen struck out and Baldwin grounded out. Ronald Acuña then walked on five pitches. Olson was able to get Scott to pitch six pitches, but struck out. This left the Braves three outs to tie it up.
Raisel Iglesias came in to pitch the ninth. He was able to induce a pop up from Hernández after falling to a 3-0 count. He then struck out Mookie Betts on eight pitches. This brought up Freddie Freeman who walked on sox pitches. Max Muncy pinch hit for Teoscar Hernández. Muncy struck out on three pitches.
Edwin Díaz came in to pitch the ninth. Ozzie Albies has been one of the best hitters on the team this postseason and continued with a double to lead off the ninth. Harris made Díaz work, but ultimately grounded out on eight pitches and moved Albies to third. Mauricio Dubón flies out to right and it was not far enough to score the run. Mike Yastrzemski replaced Lane Thomas as the last chance. He then grounded out to end the game, putting the Braves at a big disadvantage moving forward.
Next game is at home with Tyler Mahle on the mound with a win or go home game. The bats were cold as ever, and will need to wake up against Glasnow to stay alive.
The game was tight, knotted at 0-0 through the third inning. Freddie Freeman thought he had a home run but Atlanta Braves outfielder Mauricio Dubón had other ideas in mind, robbing Freeman of the shot.
Hernández hit a two-run homer for his 17th career home run in the postseason. Freeman followed with a solo shot just a few batters later.
The Braves got a run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Drake Baldwin grounded out to first, giving Dubón time to make it home safe. That was the end of the scoring, though. The Dodgers hung on to preserve the win and go ahead in the series.
Physically, LA didn't make it out of the game without a scratch. Second baseman Miguel Rojas left the game in the eighth inning after sustaining an injury seemingly during a swing.
The NLDS continues Wednesday, Oct. 7. Here's the remaining schedule for the NLDS between the Dodgers and Braves:
NLDS Game 4: Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta Braves
Date: Oct. 7
Game Site: Truist Park in Atlanta
Start time: 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT
TV/Stream: FS1; FOX Deportes; FOX One
*NLDS Game 5: Atlanta Braves at Los Angeles Dodgers
*= if necessary
Date: Oct. 9
Game Site: Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles
Start time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. ET (subject to change)
ATLANTA –– Two superstar pitchers were on the mound.
Two teams’ seasons were essentially hanging in the balance.
And in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, an all-time, old-fashioned, heavyweight October pitchers’ duel came down to two no-doubt, home run swings.
With a 3-1 win on Tuesday night that represented a monumental step forward in their pursuit of a third-straight World Series, the Dodgers and Yoshinobu Yamamoto got the best of Chris Sale and the Atlanta Braves.
“I don’t feel I outpitched Chris Sale tonight,” Yamamoto, ever-modest, said through his interpreter after.
The box score (and the final score), however, told a different story.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws to the Atlanta Braves during the third inning. AP Photo/Brynn AndersonLos Angeles Dodgers’ Andy Pages, Enrique Hernández and Freddie Freeman celebrate after Hernández hit a two-run home run during the fourth inning. AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
Yamamoto made the lead stand up, spinning seven spectacular innings of one-run ball in his latest playoff gem.
Now, the Dodgers hold a 2-1 lead in this best-of-five series, needing just one more victory to advance with Tyler Glasnow lined up for Game 4 and Tarik Skubal on deck for a Game 5, if it gets there.
They stared down a daunting task against Sale, arguably the best pitcher they’ve faced at any point in the last three postseasons, and rose to the challenge the way they so often have while cementing their dynasty.
“We played tonight like an elimination game,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I think collectively it was probably one of our better performances, certainly [against] the starter, as far as 1 through 9 [in the lineup].”
Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale throws to the Los Angeles Dodgers during the second inning. AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
On the eve of Game 3’s titanic pitching clash, Dodgers hitting coach Aaron Bates laid out the situation succinctly.
To go deep in the playoffs, he said, “you’re gonna have to beat some really good pitchers … You’re gonna have to face an ace.”
That, of course, applied to both teams Tuesday, with Yamamoto making his 2026 postseason debut coming off a 14-9, 2.53 ERA regular season –– and his World Series MVP heroics during last year’s title run.
Still, the left-handed Sale offered up a unique challenge, entering Tuesday in the wake of a career-best 2.16 ERA this year (even better than his 2024 Cy Young campaign), two clutch performances in last week’s wild-card round, and a five-hit shutout of the Dodgers the last time he faced them in August.
Hernández and Rojas were drawn into the starting lineup, replacing Max Muncy and Tommy Edman to give the club two extra right-handed bats. Banged-up slugger Shohei Ohtani was also dropped to the No. 5 spot in the batting order, the lowest he had hit since the 2020 season with the Angels.
“I just feel this gives us the best chance to beat the Braves today, and combat Sale,” Roberts explained pregame. “I feel good about it.”
Indeed, the Dodgers had Sale under pressure early and often, putting runners in scoring position in each of their first three trips to the plate (including a bases-loaded opportunity in the third) while driving up his pitch count with stressful, laborious innings.
Still, those were nothing but moral victories initially, with Sale wiggling out of each threat to keep the game scoreless –– with the help of outfielder Mauricio Dubón robbing Freeman of a surefire two-run homer on a leaping, full-sprint effort at the short wall in left in the third.
“We felt really good about our at-bats,” Freeman said. “We just missed. They made good plays. That’s kind of how it was going. “
An inning later, however, the Dodgers would finally break through.
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Enrique Hernandez circles the bases after hitting a two-run home run. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectLos Angeles Dodgers’ Enrique Hernández celebrates his two-run home run during the fourth inning. AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
In his latest bit of postseason heroics, it was Hernández who broke the deadlock from the No. 9 spot, getting a changeup from Sale that caught too much of the inside corner of the plate and sending it screaming out to left for a two-run homer.
It was the 17th home run of Hernández’s illustrious playoff career. It was a drive he celebrated with a primal scream as he rounded first base. And it turned a tense Truist Park crowd silent, save for raucous reception coming from the visiting third-base dugout.
“We needed a little bit of that Kiké dust,” Roberts quipped.
Two batters later, the Dodgers bench would be going wild again.
Making his first postseason appearance in Atlanta since leaving the Braves for the Dodgers as a free agent five years ago, Freeman made sure not to be robbed again.
He squared up an inside fastball from Sale and uncorked a towering 399-foot bomb, sending it safely over the brick wall in right-center to make it a 3-0 game.
“It certainly speaks to the experience, the buy-in,” Roberts said of the Dodgers’ team-wide approach. “If you don’t get results [early in the game] when you’re committed to kind of grinding, sometimes it’s easy to come off of that. But I thought tonight from start to finish we did a good job of grinding.”
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman hits a solo home run during the fourth inning. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectLos Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman, left, and Miguel Rojas (72) celebrate Freeman’s solo home run during the fourth inning. AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
Of Sale’s 13 career playoff appearances, Tuesday was the first since his postseason debut in 2017 in which he had given up multiple home runs. And though the Dodgers have yet to score any way other than the long ball this series –– falling to 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position after another hitless showing in that category Tuesday –– Yamamoto made sure the two big flies would stand up.
Tapping back into his historically dominant form from last October, Yamamoto largely breezed through a four-hit, one-walk, 10-strikeout masterpiece, burying the Braves with a flurry of fastballs, curveballs and splitters in a 98-pitch effort.
He faced his only real trouble in the fifth, when he limited the Braves to just one run from a bases-loaded, one-out jam.
And by the time he turned things over to the bullpen –– where Tanner Scott and, in his return to closing duties, Edwin Díaz finished off the game –– he had already outlasted Sale (who departed after the fifth) and put the Dodgers on track to a pivotal Game 3 victory.
Oct 6, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) walks off the diamond after pitching against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Yoshinobu Yamamoto continued his postseason dominance with seven strong innings and the Dodgers homered twice in their best showing against Chris Sale this season, beating the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Tuesday night in Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Truist Park.
Los Angeles leads the best-of-5 series, two games to one.
Yamamoto only allowed two singles in the first four innings, one of which was a bunt that he was quick to field, but lost his footing when trying to throw to first base, one of three plays in Game 3 in which a Dodgers fielder slipped on the Truist Field turf.
Trouble came for Yamamoto in the fifth inning, with two single to open the frame followed by a one-out, four-pitch walk to pinch-hitter Rowdy Tellez, in just his 14th major league plate appearance on the season. One ground out to first base brought in a run but another grounder ended the inning with only one run in, and the Dodgers still leading.
He needed only 98 pitches to finish off seven innings, with just that one run across, and tied a season high with 10 strikeouts, done three timesduring theregular season.
Yamamoto’s last five postseason appearances have been on the road, and he’s won all five of them. In the four starts, Yamamoto lasted at least six innings and allowed exactly one run in all four games. There was a rather famous eight-out, championship-clinching scoreless relief appearance on zero days rest last November as well. In those five games Yamamoto has allowed four total runs in 33 2/3 innings, with 32 strikeouts against only four walks.
He’s made himself at home on the road.
Breakthrough
Sale, even at age 37, is a tough customer to face, and his first six outs were all strikeouts, looking very much like the ace that allowed three runs in 16 innings in two regular season starts against the Dodgers this year. But in between those six strikeouts the Dodgers had two hits, plus another reached on an error.
Two more hits came in the third inning, plus a catcher’s interference, but the Dodgers stranded the bases loaded. That meant six left on base in what was still a scoreless game to that point, but there were encouraging signs, including Sale needing 62 pitches to get through the first three frames. Freddie Freeman, who homered in Game 2, hit a ball the other way with enough distance to get over the left field wall, but Mauricio Dubón robbed him of a two-run home run with a fantastic catch.
The Dodgers started to get the fruits of their labor in the fourth inning, which began with Andy Pages singling for his first hit of the postseason. Kiké Hernández, making his first start of the playoffs, deposited a changeup into the left field seats for the first two runs on the game.
Two batters after Hernández’s 12th postseason home run for the Dodgers — and his 17th career postseason shot — Freeman left no doubt this time around, taking Sale out, well over the wall in right field for a three-run inning.
Finally getting runs across underscored the work already put in by the Dodgers in making Sale work, and that paid off further when his night was done after five innings and 93 pitches.
Chance are
Ohtani batted fifth in Game 3, the first time in his three years with the Dodgers he’s batted anywhere but first or second. Manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani hitting that low — which spaced out lefties Freeman, Ohtani, and Kyle Tucker with two batters in between them — was more of a one-time deployment because he was facing left-hander Chris Sale.
“I don’t think it’s a pressure thing. I do think it’s something where he wants to do more,” Roberts said earlier Tuesday. “But in that same breath, I do think that there’s going to be a couple big spots today where he’s going to be at-bat.”
Sure enough, Ohtani’s first two trips to the plate came with two runners on base. He chased badly on a strikeout in the first inning, but reached on catcher’s inference in the third. Ohtani didn’t bat again with any one on base, but those four total runners on with him at the plate were his most in a game since August 28. Ohtani did walk in the eighth inning, but was stranded.
On the mend
Miguel Rojas started for a second straight game against a left-handed starter, and was hitless in three at-bats. While batting in the eighth inning, Rojas felt something on a swing and left the game in the middle of the plate appearance with lower back pain, the Dodgers announced during the game. Rojas also had one of the aforementioned slips on the west Truist Park turf, loosing his footing in making the final out of the fifth inning on a ground out.
Tommy Edman completed the at-bat and popped out, then remained in the game at second base.
NLDS Game 3 particulars
Home runs: Kiké Hernández (1), Freddie Freeman (2)
LP — Chris Sale (0-1): 5 IP, 7 hits, 3 runs, 7 strikeouts
Sv — Edwin Díaz (1): 1 IP, 1 hit
Up next
The Dodgers try to close out the series with Tyler Glasnow on the mound on Wednesday night in Game 4 (3:08 p.m. PT, FS1), while right-hander Tyler Mahle goes for the Braves.
SAN DIEGO — If the San Diego Padres didn’t have enough obstacles to overcome the Milwaukee Brewers, they will now be without All-Star closer Mason Miller for at least Game 3 Tuesday night when he was placed on paternity leave.
Miller’s wife, Jordan, went into labor Tuesday afternoon to deliver their first child.
The Padres, who were down 2-0 in the National League Division Series, replaced him on the roster with Wandy Peralta. It’s the second time this series that the Padres will be without a key pitcher with starter Walker Buehler also going on the paternity list before returning Monday.
Miller, the game’s top closer, will likely be replaced in the back end of the game with Adrian Morejon, who has been their setup man. The Padres were also without DH Gavin Sheets, who was scratched with a stiff neck, and replaced him with Samad Taylor.
If San Diego wins Tuesday to extend the series, Game 4 will be played on Wednesday, Oct. 7 in San Diego.
