Dodgers Lineup vs Braves: Kyle Tucker Out as LA Makes Major Shakeup

The Los Angeles Dodgers are looking to salvage their series against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday and avoid what would be a brutal sweep to their National League rivals.

The Braves have earned one-run wins in each of the first two games of the series, securing late runs against Dodgers closer Tanner Scott in both games, including a walk-off single on Wednesday night.

“This was a tough one. I thought we had a really good chance to win this game,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after Wednesday's game. “I just think that it’s a tough loss. And then obviously you’re staring down Chris Sale tomorrow to salvage the series, so it’s certainly not a comfortable position. But we’re gonna go out there and try to salvage the series.”

The Dodgers now have just a two-game lead over the Braves for the No. 2 seed in the NL, which comes with a first-round bye.

The Braves own the end-of-season tiebreaker over LA, having won four of five games against them this season.

Dodgers vs Braves Pitching Matchup on Thursday

As Roberts said, left-handed pitcher Chris Sale is taking the mound for the Braves in what will be a tough matchup for the struggling Dodgers offense.

Fortunately for LA, they're countering with right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Yamamoto is 12-7 with a 2.61 ERA and 145 strikeouts over 151.2 innings this season. In six starts since the All-Star break, he owns a 1.98 ERA over 41 innings.

As for Sale, the left-hander is 12-9 with a 2.20 ERA and 166 strikeouts over 135 innings this season. He has a 2.19 ERA and 49 strikeouts over six second-half starts.

Sale already faced the Dodgers once this year on May 8, allowing three runs (two earned) over seven innings in the lone Braves loss against LA this season.

Dodgers Starting Lineup

Shohei Ohtani, DH
Tommy Edman, CF
Mookie Betts, SS
Freddie Freeman, 1B
Teoscar Hernández, LF
Miguel Rojas, 2B
Alex Call, RF
Kiké Hernández, 3B
Ben Rortvedt, C

Kyle Tucker and Max Muncy are out of the lineup with the lefty Sale pitching. Moreover, the Dodgers shook up the lineup with Edman hitting second and Betts third, while Freeman was moved to the cleanup spot.

How to Watch Dodgers vs Braves on Thursday

First pitch for Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves on Thursday, Aug. 27 is 4:15 p.m. PT/7:15 p.m. ET.

The game will be broadcast on SportsNet LA and in the MLB app. It will also be on FS1.

The game will be broadcast on the radio on AM570 (in English) and KTNQ 1020 AM (in Spanish).

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