Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Game 2 Pick

Atlanta Braves (35-25) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (43-17), 10/13/20

Time: 6:05 pm ET Tuesday, Oct. 13

Where: Globe Life Field

TV: FS 1

Listed Pitchers: Ian Anderson (3-2, 1.95) vs. Clay Kershaw (6-2, 2.16)

NOTE! PITCHING CHANGE: TONY GONSOLIN NOW STARTING FOR LAD! WE’RE NOW RECOMMENDING A PASS ON THIS GAME!

Moneyline: Braves +145/Dodgers -165 (Betonline – AWESOME Live Betting Platform! Bet games AFTER you’ve assessed the teams!)

Over/Under: 7.5

After taking the opener of this National League Championship Series Monday night, the Atlanta Braves shoot for a 2-0 lead when the teams meet against Tuesday night on neutral turf in Arlington. Can Atlanta continue its perfect postseason play? Can the Dodgers avoid the 0-2 deficit? And who do we like for our free MLB pick?

MLB Betting Odds

MLB’s playoff betting odds opened Los Angeles and Clay Kershaw at around -160 for this Game 2 over Atlanta and Ian Anderson, with an over/under of eight runs. Early betting action then bumped the Dodgers to -165 and dipped the total to 7.5.

LA could also be found getting around +125, giving the run and a half on the MLB run line.

Braves vs. Dodgers Set-Up

Los Angeles is the home team for the first two games of this NLCS based on the better regular-season records, 43-17 to 35-25.

Atlanta grabbed the opener of this NLCS Monday night 5-1. The Braves took an early 1-0 lead on Freddy Freeman’s first-inning solo home run, but the Dodgers tied the score on an Enrique Hernandez homer in the fifth. Things stayed that way until the ninth, when Atlanta broke it open with a four-spot, getting homers from Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies, then closed it out with a perfect bottom of the frame from reliever Mark Melancon.

The Braves won Monday as +135 underdogs on the MLB betting line, and the game played under a total of 8.5 runs.

With Monday’s win, the Braves are now 6-0 this postseason, outscoring their opponents 29-6.

With Monday’s loss, the Dodgers are now 5-1 this postseason, outscoring their opponents 31-16.

These two teams did not meet during the regular season this year.

Game 2 Starting Arms

Lefty Kershaw is 7/12 on quality starts this season and three for his last four. Last Wednesday, in the NLDS against San Diego, he allowed three runs and six hits, including two home runs, through six innings of a 6-5 Dodgers win. And over his last four starts, he’s allowed eight runs – only five earned – and 21 hits, although four of those left the yard, through 25 innings, with one walk and 28 strikeouts.

On the season, Los Angeles is 10-2 with Kershaw, 4-0 over his last four starts.

In his most recent start against Atlanta, back in May of last season, Kershaw allowed four runs and nine hits through 6 2/3 innings of a 9-4 Dodgers victory.

Rookie righty Anderson is 4/8 on quality starts this year, and two outs away from going three for his last three. Last Wednesday, in the NLDS against Miami, he tossed 5 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, allowing just three hits, with one walk and eight strikeouts, in a 2-0 Braves win. And over his last three starts, he’s allowed three runs – none earned – and 12 hits through 17 1/3 innings, with three walks and 23 K’s.

On the season, Atlanta is 5-3 with Anderson, 2-0 over his last two starts.

This will be Anderson’s first-ever start against LA, which could give him an advantage, at least for the first couple of times through the lineup.

Game 2 Batting Splits

Atlanta batted .248 this season against left-handed pitching, with a .329 team OBP and a .425 team slugging percentage. Also, OF Adam Duvall, who hit 13 HR this season, popped an oblique Monday night, and he’s listed as very questionable for Game 2.

Los Angeles batted .259/.338/.498 against right-handed pitching this season. Numbers like those help this lineup rank among the top four in the Majors in this split this year.

The Bullpens

The Braves bullpen posted a 3.50 ERA this season, along with a 1.28 WHIP and a 2.64 K/BB ratio. This unit also tossed three perfect innings Monday night.

The Dodgers pen put up a 2.74 ERA, an ML-best 1.04 WHIP, and a 3.34 K/BB ratio. Numbers like those help this unit rank as the best bullpen in all of baseball this year. However, Los Angeles relievers gave up four runs in the ninth inning Monday night.

MLB Betting Trends

Atlanta played 8-4 against left-handed starters this season.

Los Angeles played 30-12 against right-handed starters this season, the second-best mark in the Majors in that split.

Totals Report

• Overs played 32-23 in Braves games during the regular season, but the unders are 5-1 in Braves games during this postseason.
• Overs played 27-26 in Dodgers games during the regular season, but the unders are 4-2 in Dodgers games during this postseason.
• Overs played 14-13 at Globe Life Field this season.
• Unders are 5-1 with Anderson this season.
• Overs are 7-5 with Kershaw this season.

Free MLB Pick: SEE NOTE ABOVE. PITCHING CHANGE; WE’RE PASSING!

Anderson’s been great since his call-up to the Bigs, so we could call this pitching match-up a wash. But we give Los Angeles the edges in both the splits with the sticks and in the bullpen comparison. Also, of the Dodgers’ 10 wins with Kershaw, this season, nine have come by at least two runs. So we’ll take a chance and play LA against the run line for our free MLB pick on this Game 2. Bet your MLB playoffs picks FREE this week by depositing $200 and receiving a FREE $100 bet at one of the oldest and most trusted baseball betting sites: Bovada Sportsbook!