Braves-Dodgers preview: Will Braves bounce back from getting swept vs. Padres?

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The Atlanta Braves’ season is off to a rocky start after getting swept by the San Diego Padres, and it’s not getting any easier with a three-game set against the reigning World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers starting Monday.

The Braves struggled mightily with runners in scoring position (one hit in 22 opportunities), and on Sunday, they struggled to muster up any sort of offense against Padres starter Nick Pivetta, who pitched seven innings of one-hit ball in his first start with San Diego.

In fact, Sunday’s outing was the first time in his career that he’d thrown seven shutout innings, allowed 1-or-fewer hits and didn’t issue a walk, according to Padres radio voice Sammy Levitt. It’s a testament to how poorly the Braves have played thus far.

And if it couldn’t get any worse, every Brave that’s qualified is hitting below .225. It’s not like the undefeated Dodgers’ pitching staff will lighten up when the Braves come to town, either.

Here’s what to know going into the series:

Braves-Dodgers pitching probables

Monday, 10:10 p.m. - RHP Grant Holmes (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Tyler Glasnow (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Tuesday, 10:10 p.m. - LHP Chris Sale (0-0, 5.40 ERA) vs. RHP Dustin May (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Wednesday, 8:38 p.m. - RHP Bryce Elder (0-0, 5.40 ERA) vs. LHP Blake Snell (1-0, 3.60 ERA)

The Braves are getting the league’s first look at Tyler Glasnow and Dustin May this season, as both have yet to pitch for the Dodgers during the 2025 regular season. Both right-handed pitchers performed well in spring, though, with Glasnow striking out 19 hitters in 11 innings and May allowing just four runs across 10 innings of work.

Grant Holmes pitched one inning of relief in the season opener on Thursday, striking out two on nine total pitches (seven for strikes). The 29-year-old won a rotation spot out of spring and will make his first start against Los Angeles on Monday. It’s safe to say, based on performance, that either Holmes or AJ Smith-Shawver- who allowed two earned runs on six hits on Sunday against San Diego - will be sent down or moved to the bullpen once Spencer Strider returns from the injured list.

Chris Sale and Reynaldo Lopez have a 5.40 ERA after allowing three earned runs in five innings of work in their first outings of the season against San Diego. Los Angeles’ bats include Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, and Sale has a career ERA of 7.02 ERA against Los Angeles.

It might be a long series ahead.

Braves and Dodgers hitters to watch

Braves: It’s hard to pinpoint which hitters to watch when it seems like every hitter in the Braves lineup is struggling. The easy answer would be everyone, but every hitter in the lineup has struggled to hit off Snell and Glasnow in their respective careers. Hitters on the Braves’ lineup have a .149 career batting average against Snell and a .177 average against Glasnow.

Dodgers: As for Los Angeles, its lineup has a plethora of stars, from Shohei Ohtani to Freddie Freeman to Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernandez. It’s a lineup worth recognizing throughout the season, and its 5-0 start doesn’t indicate that it’ll slow down any time soon. Let’s hope these bats quiet down in this series.

How to watch Braves on Gray

None of the three games of this series against the Dodgers are broadcast on Peachtree TV and Gray Media, but the next Braves on Gray broadcast will be the home opener on Friday, April 4.

For all games broadcast on Peachtree TV and Gray Media going forward, fans in Atlanta can watch the Braves on Gray by tuning into PeachtreeTV, Atlanta’s CW Network. Fans can also watch games on YouTube TV, over the air on channel 17.1 and on channel 17 on Dish Network and DirecTV and channel 7 on Xfinity and Spectrum.

If you are in another market outside of Atlanta, click here to see how you can catch the action.

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