The Los Angeles Dodgers will take the field as heavy home favorites in the MLB odds when they host the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of the National League Division Series (NLDS) today. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 PM ET at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium, with the series opener broadcast nationally on FOX.

The Dodgers are expected to hand the ball to star pitcher Tarik Skubal to set the tone, while Atlanta will likely deploy an opener after using each of their top-four arms in a hard-fought three-game Wild Card victory over Philadelphia. Keep reading for my Braves vs Dodgers predictions, picks and betting splits for Game 1, below.

When evaluating the best angles for this matchup, the season long stats heavily support a low-scoring affair.

Under 8.5 is well-positioned given the dominant run prevention on both sides and their previous head-to-head trends. Four of the six regular-season clashes between Atlanta and Los Angeles stayed under 8.5 total runs, highlighted by a tight 4–1 decision and a 1–0 pitching duel.

Skubal brings elite form into Game 1 after posting a 2.61 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 70 strikeouts across 62 innings over 10 starts with Los Angeles. Furthermore, the Dodgers went under 8.5 runs in 90 of their 162 regular-season games (55.6%), underscoring how often their top-tier pitching controls the pace of play. New users can claim the Polymarket bonus code to tail this wager.

*Stats are from after Skubal’s midseason trade from DET to LAD.

Skubal boasts a 4-1 record since joining the Dodgers. His underlying metrics are just as impressive, featuring a 2.36 FIP that sits even lower than his traditional ERA.

Armed with a high-octane arsenal, Skubal has struck out batters at a rate of 10.16 per nine innings while maintaining a sterling 5.39 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Opposing hitters have struggled to string base hits together against him, managing just a .228 batting average over the season.