The Los Angeles Dodgers’ hopes of a third straight World Series title hit a snag Sunday night as the Atlanta Braves beat them 3-2 in Game 2 of the NLDS, evening the series at one game apiece.
Los Angeles had won Game 1 behind six strong innings from Tarik Skubal and home runs from Kyle Tucker, Teoscar Hernandez and Max Muncy, taking that opener 5-3. With Atlanta announcing that ace Chris Sale would be held back for Game 3, many expected the Dodgers, sending two-time NL Cy Young winner Blake Snell to the mound, to take control of the series.
Instead, the Braves turned to little-used reliever Ray Kerr, who hadn’t pitched in the majors in 2025 and posted a 5.64 ERA in 2024. Kerr nonetheless shut the Dodgers down, following up 3.1 scoreless innings in the wild card series against the Philadelphia Phillies with 2.2 scoreless innings against Los Angeles. The Dodgers squandered chances against Atlanta’s bullpen and made uncharacteristic mistakes, including a misplayed pop-up in left field by Teoscar Hernandez, in the loss.
Kerr’s underlying numbers suggest his postseason run has been fortunate. His batting average on balls in play allowed was .143 during the regular season, far below the roughly .300 league average, and his left-on-base percentage was 98%, compared with a league average near 75%. In October, those figures have been even more extreme, with a .200 BABIP allowed and 100% left-on-base rate.
Shohei Ohtani’s struggles have also hurt the Dodgers’ offense. Though he has two singles in the series, he has looked far from the dominant hitter he was in the 2025 playoffs. Against Kerr, Ohtani struck out on four pitches, only one of which was close to the strike zone, popped up on a seven-pitch at-bat with runners on first and second, and struck out again after seeing just one pitch in the zone.
The series now shifts with Atlanta able to start Sale on regular rest in Game 3 at home, after his complete-game shutout of the Dodgers at Truist Park that included 11 strikeouts and just five baserunners allowed. Los Angeles will counter with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and still has Tyler Glasnow and a second start from Skubal available if the series continues.
Elsewhere in October, the New York Yankees were held to one hit, with that runner thrown out at third base, in a Game 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays behind pitcher Drew Rasmussen, flipping what had looked like an even series into a potential rout.
Los Angeles remains a slight favorite to advance, but Sunday’s result is a reminder that postseason baseball rarely goes according to form, regardless of payroll or regular-season dominance.
