The National League Division Series heads into Tuesday’s Game 3s with Atlanta tied 1-1 against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee holding a 2-0 edge over the San Diego Padres.
After a scheduled off day on Monday, both National League Division Series resume Tuesday evening at critical, yet contrasting, junctures. The Atlanta Braves split the opening two games on the road, wresting home-field advantage away from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee series sits at 2-0 in favor of Milwaukee following a dramatic finish in Game 2, leaving San Diego facing elimination.
Will Chris Sale Justify Walt Weiss Keeping Him on the Bench in Game 2?
Despite heavy praise for the Atlanta bullpen and reliever Ray Kerr, Braves manager Walt Weiss absorbed considerable criticism for withholding Chris Sale during Game 2. Weiss defended the choice by noting that Sale had not started on four days of rest in months and had tossed 1.1 innings to close out the Wild Card Series against the Philadelphia Phillies on October 1.
Had Atlanta’s relief corps faltered, that choice would have dominated the postgame discourse. Instead, the delay hands the Braves a fully rested Sale following six days off. He takes the mound in Game 3 at 6 p.m. ET against Los Angeles starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Though Sale carries a 5.83 career postseason ERA, the 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner enters Tuesday primed for a dominant outing that could push Atlanta within one victory of the National League Championship Series.
Can Shohei Ohtani Break Out of His October Slump for the Dodgers?
Shohei Ohtani produced some of the most memorable offensive sequences in recent postseason history during the last postseason, striking out 10 and hitting three home runs in a single game against Milwaukee, followed by a multi-homer, nine-reach performance in an 18-inning World Series contest. Yet his bat has gone quiet since.
Spanning the final four games of the 2025 Fall Classic and the first two matchups of this 2026 Division Series, Ohtani is 5-for-23 with just one extra-base hit—a double—alongside three walks for a .569 OPS. Injuries disrupted his second half, limiting his pitching duties to a final appearance on July 3 and leaving him with a .772 regular-season OPS. Nevertheless, as a presumptive runner-up for the National League MVP award, Ohtani remains capable of altering a series with a single swing when the Dodgers need a signature offensive spark.
Is Jackson Chourio the Defining Star of Milwaukee’s Franchise Era?
Jackson Chourio made his Major League debut on March 29, 2024, just 18 days after turning 20. He stepped into a franchise that had captured only two postseason series victories in 41 years and reached the 90-win mark just nine times in 55 seasons. The club has now achieved 90 wins in each of the three seasons since Chourio arrived.
According to analysis from sportswriter Joe Sheehan, Chourio has already accumulated more FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement through his age-22 season than Barry Bonds and Robin Yount did at the same age. He stands as the franchise leader in postseason home runs with five, trailing Ryan Braun by just one for the club’s all-time playoff RBI lead. His go-ahead single off San Diego closer Mason Miller in Game 2 cemented his status in Brewers lore, fueling an era of sustained success.
How Do the Padres Plan to Rally From a 2-0 Deficit Against Milwaukee?
San Diego swept the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card round last week, making their current 2-0 hole in the Division Series an abrupt reversal. Game 2 slipped away despite strong pitching performances from Michael King, Yuki Matsui, and Bradgley Rodríguez, and despite handing the ball to Mason Miller for his first two-inning save opportunity of the year.
Miller looked sharp early, touching 103.5 mph on his 38th pitch of the night to Chourio. However, his 40th and final offering dipped to 101.3 mph and caught too much of the plate, resulting in Chourio’s decisive two-run single. San Diego turns to Nick Pivetta for Tuesday’s 9:30 p.m. ET matchup. Pivetta has posted a 1.64 ERA since returning from the injured list on September 7, providing San Diego with the right-hander they need in an elimination scenario.
