Game 3 of the 2026 National League Division Series between the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers takes place at Truist Park in Atlanta on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Yamamoto and Sale Meet in Rare Postseason Duel
Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound for the Dodgers in his first postseason appearance of 2026. The right-hander earned World Series Most Valuable Player honors in 2025, notably pitching in Game 7 just one day after throwing six innings as the starter in Game 6. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the challenge ahead on Monday. “That’s the cuestión, there should be a lot of conversation about Chris Sale, but our guy has been pretty good and has been a very good postseason pitcher,” Roberts said. “Va a ser una buena pelea. I think both pitchers are going to do well. And it all comes down to who works better at-bats.”
Chris Sale starts for the Braves on normal rest after making two appearances in the Wild Card Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Sale pitched 6.1 innings in Game 1 and secured the final four outs to close out the decisive Game 3. Tuesday’s game marks only the third postseason matchup between starting pitchers who previously recorded the final out of a World Series to secure a title, according to data from the Elias Sports Bureau. The previous instances occurred in 1911 between Christy Mathewson and Jack Coombs, and in 1938 between Dizzy Dean and Lefty Gómez.
Sale Recalls Winning Culture from 2018 World Series
Sale recalled his own World Series closing experience from 2018, when he secured the final three outs against the Dodgers for the Boston Red Sox after starting Game 1. “I think this just reiterates the mentality of having everybody available,” Sale said. “Where I learned it was Boston. I had never been in the postseason before I got to Boston. When you get there and you’re surrounded by winners, by that mentality and that type of culture, you see what winning at all costs looks like.”
Since Yamamoto joined MLB and Sale moved to the Braves in 2024, the two pitchers have faced each other once on August 27 of the 2026 season. Yamamoto allowed one run over 6.1 innings, while Sale threw a complete-game shutout with 11 strikeouts. Both pitchers are expected to receive votes for the National League Cy Young Award following their 2026 campaigns, though both maintain that past performances will have little bearing on Tuesday’s contest. “I have too much respect for the game of baseball; I have too much respect for those guys on the other side of the field to think, because of prior experience, the next time was going to be anything other than a battle,” Sale said. “This is playoff baseball. It’s a tremendous team on the other side.”
Dodgers Face Braves in NLDS Game 3
- Matchup: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves (NLDS Game 3)
- Date: Tuesday
- Time: 6 p.m. ET
- Location: Truist Park, Atlanta
- Starting Pitchers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Dodgers) vs. Chris Sale (Braves)
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