The Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves play Game 6 of the best-of-seven National League Championship Series Saturday. First pitch is slated for 8:08 p.m. ET (on TBS). Let’s analyze the lines around the Dodgers vs. Braves odds with MLB picks and predictions.
The Dodgers avoided elimination and forced the series to return to Atlanta with an 11-2 win in Game 5 Thursday. The Braves still lead the NLCS 3-2, but they’ve been here before. They led the Dodgers 3-1 in last year’s NLCS only to lose the final three games.
Los Angeles’ Chris Taylor, playing 3B in place of injured Justin Turner, hit 3 home runs with 6 RBIs in the Game 5 victory. He became the first player to hit 3 homers in a postseason game for a team facing elimination. LF A.J. Pollock added 2 homers and 4 RBIs in the rout.
Now it’s on to Game 6 where Braves RHP Ian Anderson will make his second start of the NLCS and his third of this postseason. He started Game 2 but lasted only 3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks with 2 strikeouts in what was an eventual Braves’ 5-4 victory.
- Regular season: 9-5, 3.58 ERA (128 1/3 IP, 51 ER), 1.23 WHIP, 8.7 K/9, 3.7 BB/9 in 24 starts
- Postseason: 1-0, 2.25 ERA (8 IP, 2 ER), 6 H, 3 BB, 8 K in two starts
- Career vs. Dodgers (regular season): 0-1, 4 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 1 H, 3 BB, 6 K in one start this year, a 9-5 loss in Atlanta June 4
The Dodgers will start RHP Walker Buehler on three days’ rest. He replaces RHP Max Scherzer, who was scratched Friday night due to arm fatigue. Buehler will be making his second start in the NLCS. He is 0-1 with a 3.77 ERA (14 1/3 IP, 6 ER) in three starts this postseason.
- Last outing: No-decision, 3 2/3 IP, 4 R (2 ER), 6 H, 3 BB, 3 K in Game 3 Tuesday, a 6-5 Dodgers victory
- Regular season: 16-4, 2.47 ERA (207 2/3 IP, 57 ER), 0.97 WHIP, 9.2 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 in 33 starts
- Career vs. Braves (regular season): 2-0, 2.79 ERA (19 1/3 IP, 6 ER), 11 H, 2 BB, 17 K in three starts
Dodgers at Braves odds, lines, picks and prediction
MLB odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 11:10 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Dodgers -160 (bet $160 to win $100) | Braves +130 (bet $100 to win $130)
- Against the spread/ATS: Dodgers -1.5 (+105) | Braves +1.5 (-130)
- Over/Under: 8.5 (O: -102 | U: -122)
PLAY: Free, daily sports pick’em contests. Play now!
Prediction
Braves 4, Dodgers 3
Money line (ML)
ATLANTA (+130) is the STRONGEST PLAY – 1½ times your usual wager.
The Braves are 4-0 at home this postseason, including back-to-back walk-off victories vs. the Dodgers in the first two games of the NLCS.
Including the regular season, they’re 9-1 in their last 10 home games.
Meanwhile, Anderson went 5-1 with a 3.52 ERA in 11 regular-season home starts in 2021.
The Braves were 9-2 in those 11 starts and won both of his postseason starts.
While Buehler was a stud during the regular season, he’s been average during the playoffs and he can’t be trusted on short rest.
Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
PASS since we’re invested in Atlanta’s money line.
However, if you want a little insurance, divvying up part of the ML wager with Atlanta +1.5 (-130) wouldn’t be terrible. You just have to pay a little juice. Atlanta is 4-1 ATS in this series.
ATS records:
- Regular season: Braves 78-83 | Dodgers 82-80
- Postseason: Braves 7-2 | Dodgers 5-6
Over/Under (O/U)
BACK UNDER 8.5 (-122) to WIN 0.4 UNITS.
The Over is 4-1 in this series with only Game 1 cashing an Under ticket, but expect pitching, including the bullpens, to dominate with an “all arms on deck” approach.
O/U records:
- Regular season: Braves 74-78-9 | Dodgers 71-81-10
- Postseason: Braves 5-4 | Dodgers 6-5
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.
| JOHNNY’S RECORD | W-L | SP | ROI |
| SINCE JULY 8 | 63-41 | 26-14 | +17.736 |
| *–SP: Strongest plays; ROI: Return on investment | |||
Follow @JohnnyParlay11 on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1372]