ATLANTA — For the teams that dare to cross paths with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the staggering payroll and deferred contracts that define the franchise may be the most infuriating aspect, but they are not the primary weapon. Despite the star-studded roster fit for a Hollywood production, it is the nine-deep batting order, the abundance of starting pitchers, and the ceaseless rotation of bullpen arms that ultimately allow Los Angeles to overpower and break down their adversaries.
“You never know which opponent you will face,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts observed following Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Atlanta. The victory secured a berth in their third consecutive National League Championship Series, setting up a rematch with the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers this Sunday night.
Their last two appearances concluded with World Series championships. The effortless manner in which Los Angeles eliminated Atlanta — in four games while surrendering only eight runs collectively — underscored the reality facing anyone in their way: a championship march through Los Angeles continues until it is halted.
In Game 4, the player who delivered was Andy Pages, a ninth-order hitter. He drilled a two-run single in the seventh inning to shatter a 1-1 deadlock, quieting the majority of the 41,173 spectators at Truist Park who sought to keep the Braves’ season alive. Instead, the contest concluded as it had for the seven postseason teams preceding Atlanta: with a faint, guttural fade-out.
“They are aiming for their third consecutive World Series title for a specific reason,” Atlanta manager Walt Weiss noted. “Their arm depth just keeps showing up.”
Five pitchers collectively held Atlanta to three hits, including no runners in scoring position across seven plate appearances. Atlanta managed just 1-for-23 in those critical situations, confounded by Los Angeles’ deep bench of power arms. Starter Tyler Glasnow navigated five walks to allow one hit in 4⅔ innings of one-run baseball. Alex Vesia recorded two outs and Edgardo Henriquez five, followed by Tanner Scott and Edwin Diaz, closers signed over the last two winters, each throwing a scoreless frame to end the NL East champions’ hopes.
Throughout most of their 100-win regular season, the Dodgers experimented with bullpen roles to finalize postseason assignments. Diaz, acquired on a three-year, $69 million contract to compete for rings, missed three months after elbow surgery in April and re-entered the injured list in August due to neck inflammation. His velocity dipped, prompting management to evaluate alternatives for late-inning situations.
By late September, Diaz was dominant again. After Roberts deployed him in the sixth inning of Game 2, he relied on him with a one-run lead in the ninth of Game 3 and again for the save in Game 4.
“The postseason diverges from the regular season,” Roberts explained. “There is no correlation between regular-season success and postseason performance. You simply have to play your best ball, with players stepping up in critical moments. That is the requirement. You also need some luck.”
Luck favored Los Angeles throughout the series, especially in Game 4.
In the bottom of the sixth, with the game tied, Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies drove a Vesia fastball into left-center. In 29 of 30 ballparks, that would have cleared the fence. At Truist Park, it struck the top of the wall for a double. Vesia induced a fly out to exit the threat and was relieved by Henriquez, who escaped the bases-loaded jam by inducing Lane Thomas to grounder out at third and Mauricio Dubon to liner out to right.
Los Angeles promptly executed what Atlanta could not. With one out, Teoscar Hernandez singled, forcing starter Tyler Mahle, whose splitter had contained the Dodgers all night, from the mound. Rookie Didier Fuentes, who had retired the first 11 Dodgers he faced in Atlanta’s Game 2 victory, found himself unable to command the zone. Fuentes walked rookies Josue De Paula and Kyle Tucker on five pitches apiece to load the bases, then went full count against Pages before the rookie drove a 99 mph fastball up the middle to score two.
“My only thought was getting the team ahead and putting pressure on them,” Pages said.
Pages stands among the Dodgers’ premier success stories, defecting from Cuba at 16 and signing for $300,000. On Aug. 21, while Shohei Ohtani was the only Dodger with a higher wins above replacement value, a 100 mph fastball from Bubba Chandler fractured Pages’ left hand. To expedite recovery, a compression screw was inserted. He returned Sept. 22, proved fit enough to start in center field, and produced the hit that sends Los Angeles into another NLCS.
“Returning from the hand injury isn’t easy,” Vesia said regarding Pages. “You can’t just resume exactly where you stopped. There are ups and downs in this sport. But we all know, ultimately, we bet on that player. We want him in those spots.”
“It’s an incredible team, man. Truly.”
Atlanta was competitive, yet they met the same end as recent challengers attempting to unseat Los Angeles. Austin Riley went hitless in 13 at-bats, Drake Baldwin hit .071, and Matt Olson batted .125. Ronald Acuna Jr., the Braves’ star right fielder, faltered once more in the playoffs, recording just two singles in 17 divisional round plate appearances.
“It’s frustrating because I know the talent I possess,” Acuna said through an interpreter, his voice breaking with tears. “It hurts to know you have that potential and be unable to utilize it.”
That is precisely the Dodgers’ specialty. To star players. To elite teams. What makes it particularly alarming is that they achieved this against Atlanta even with Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Will Smith — three of their top four batters — going a combined 6-for-43 with no extra-base hits. That is where depth proved decisive. Freddie Freeman homered twice during the series, while Max Muncy, who capped Game 4 scoring with an eighth-inning solo shot, hit three homers for the series.
With the pitching deployment Los Angeles utilized, that was sufficient. It leaves one lingering question as the Dodgers head into their second straight NLCS against Milwaukee, having swept the Brewers last year.
How will the Dodgers appear if their sluggers finally find their timing?
“Our objective is to win the World Series, not merely this series,” Diaz stated. “We need eight more wins.”