How the Dodgers are preparing for NLDS showdown

The deciding sport between the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves performed silently on the Dodger Stadium scoreboard Thursday as Dodgers gamers practiced below.

The Dodgers had been less than 48 hours away from the first pitch of the National League Division Series. The “2026 Postseason” decals had been freshly painted up the baselines that afternoon. All that was left to be determined was their opponent — the winner of the sport serving as the backdrop of their intrasquad scrimmage.

About a half an hour after the Dodgers cleared the discipline, the Braves superior to the NLDS with a 6-2 win over the Phillies. The Dodgers and Braves will open the best-of-five collection at Dodger Stadium on Saturday at 1 p.m. PDT.

“We are the team to beat,” veteran utility participant Kiké Hernández said. “We are the team that you have to go through. And that’s all nice words and everything, but we got to take care of business on the field. But I feel great about my team.”

The Dodgers are the reigning back-to-back champions and are aiming to turn out to be the first National League staff to win three World Series in a row.

“Obviously it’s there, but it’s not something we’re really focused on,” veteran third baseman Max Muncy said of the three-peat chase. “We’re trying to focus on ourselves getting ready this week, paying attention to whoever we might be playing and just trying to get ready for a postseason series the same way we’ve always gotten ready for it.

“We don’t need to be adding any extra pressure onto ourselves. We’ve been saying that for a long time. When you talk about three-peating, you’re putting that extra pressure on it that doesn’t need to be there. Winning a World Series is already hard enough as it is. So for us, we’re just trying to focus on what we have ahead of us and without the added noise to it.”

So, how did the Dodgers prepare for the postseason? Their bye week consisted of wild-card watch events, batting follow, live pitching — from a long listing of arms on Wednesday, particularly — and an open workout Thursday that culminated in a scrimmage. Right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who’s penciled in to start Game 4 of the NLDS if needed, began for the home staff Thursday.

“Instead of showing up, checking a box to work out, then eject, I think that sacrifice from friends, family, it’s important,” supervisor Dave Roberts said. “We’re at the home stretch. We’re in the playoffs, and so I think that the more guys spend time with one another, it just lends itself to just more togetherness.”

The Dodgers have figured that out over 5 postseasons in this format. This is their fourth with a bye — after going through the wild card last yr. And they launched the watch events in 2024.

“You’ve earned the bye and you should take that time to rest and recover,” Muncy said. “But you don’t want to give guys too much time to be at home and get that taste of what it might be like. That really worked for us back in 2024. You get guys here to the field. You’re not forcing anyone to do anything but you’re making all the guys hang out together for extended periods of time when they could be at home enjoying family time — which is great for everybody but not when you know what’s coming for us ahead.

“You’re going to be facing a team that’s already been through the fire. They’ve already been through the emotions. They’ve already been through the roller coaster which is the postseason. It’s hard to go from an at-home setting to trying to find a way to flip the switch.”

The Braves have, certainly, been through the fire. They claimed the No. 3 seed with a 94-68 report and the NL East title. They took Game 1 of the wild-card collection against the Phillies but misplaced Game 2 in further innings, forcing a winner-take-all Game 3.