Yamamoto-Sale Showdown Echoes a Rarity Not Seen Since 1938

Game 3 of the NLDS will feature the third starting pitcher battle of two pitchers who previously got the final out of a World Series in MLB postseason history.

Aug 27, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale (51) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The starting pitching matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves figures to be one of the most anticipated matchups for the entire postseason. Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Chris Sale start Game 3 of the NLDS for their respective clubs.

Per MLB's Sarah Langs, who cites the Elias Sports Bureau, this marks the third time in postseason history that two pitchers who got the final out of a World Series will face each other as starters. Christy Mathewson and Jack Coombs did it in 1911, then Dizzy Dean and Lefty Gomez in 1938.

Chris Sale vs Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be the 3rd SP matchup in postseason history between pitchers who had previously gotten the final out of a World Series, joining:

1938 WS G2 Dizzy Dean, Lefty Gomez
1911 WS G3 Christy Mathewson, Jack Coombs

h/t @EliasSports https://t.co/JF48ghdbze

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 6, 2026

Yamamoto closed out the 2025 World Series, while Sale did the same in 2018. Sale's closeout of the 2018 World Series also came against the Dodgers. Max Muncy and Enrique Hernandez are the only two players on Los Angeles' roster back then.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Chris Sale Square Off in Historic Starting Pitcher Matchup

Aug 27, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The two pitchers previously squared off on August 27. Sale shut out the Dodgers on 109 pitches, defeating Yamamoto 1-0. It ended up being the left-hander's most impressive start of the season, if not his career.

Braves announcer Brandon Gaudin likened that night to a "taste of October in late August" after Sale finished the shutout bid with a strikeout. Those words now ring prophetic six weeks later, with control of the NLDS on the line.

“A taste of October in late August!”

The Braves announcers had a feeling we'd see this matchup again 👀 https://t.co/W0uER5Hyi5 pic.twitter.com/YW5vsjg3V2

— MLB (@MLB) October 6, 2026

The Braves took a huge gamble in Game 2 with a bullpen game. But the gamble paid off for Atlanta, as Sale is starting the most important game of the series at home. The 2024 Cy Young Award winner, and likely 2026 finalist, has a chance to add another signature moment to what should be a Hall of Fame career.

However, Yamamoto is no pushover either. The right-hander should finish high in the Cy Young Award voting as well after putting together his best year with the Dodgers. The 2025 World Series MVP has a 2.25 ERA in 56 postseason innings.

The baseball world will be glued to this star-powered matchup. The stakes couldn't be any higher for both the Braves and Dodgers. And each team feels great with the guy they'll send to the mound in a game that could set the tone for how the series ends.

Teams that win Game 3 after splitting the first two games go on to win the series 48 of 67 times (71.6%), per MLB.com's Paul Casella, Mark Bowman and Sonja Chen. So both teams will be motivated to put everything they've got into this pivotal game.