On Saturday night at Dodger Stadium, the National League West rival Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers will play Game 1 of their best-of-five National League Division Series. The winner of the series will advance to the NLCS to face either the Braves or Phillies. The Dodgers received a bye through the first round, while the D-Backs arrived here via two-game sweep over the Brewers in the Wild Card Series.
During the regular season, the Dodgers established themselves as the superior team by a wide margin. Their 100-62 record provided them with a 16-game edge over the D-Backs in the NL West standings. As well, the Dodgers boasted a run differential of plus-207, while Arizona checks in with a mark of minus-15. Head to head, the Dodgers won eight of 13 match-ups.
You can view the full postseason schedule by clicking here, and here's the 2023 playoff bracket. Now, let's get to the important stuff for the NLDS.
Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks schedule
Saturday, Oct. 7
Game 1: Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 9:20 p.m. ET, TBS
Monday, Oct. 9
Game 2: Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 9:07 p.m. ET, TBS
Wednesday, Oct. 11
Game 3: Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 9:07 p.m. ET, TBS
Thursday, Oct. 12
Game 4 (if necessary): Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 9:07 p.m., TBS
Saturday, Oct. 14
Game 5 (if necessary): Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 9:20 p.m., TBS
How to watch Game 1
Date: Saturday, Oct. 7 | Time: 9:20 p.m. ET
Location: Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles, Calif.)
TV channel: TBS | Live stream: TBS app
Starting pitchers: RHP Merrill Kelly (12-8, 3.29 ERA) vs. LHP Clayton Kershaw (13-5, 2.46 ERA)
Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks odds
Series odds: LAD -235 | ARI +192
Game 1 odds: LAD -200 | ARI +168 | O/U: 7.5
Preview
As noted above, the Dodgers are the better team, and it's not a particularly close call. While upsets and toppled expectations are frequent occurrences in postseason baseball, that remains our best guide. As well, the D-backs' participation in the Wild Card Series means their rotation isn't lined up optimally, while the Dodgers get to trot out the future Hall of Famer in Kershaw, who's still elite when healthy. L.A.'s impressive and platoon-rich offense will pose problems for the Arizona bullpen, and deadline addition Lance Lynn has been just what the shallow Dodger rotation needed.
Prediction
The D-backs get a taste of vintage Kershaw, and the Dodger bats do the rest. Pick: Dodgers 7, Diamondbacks 2.
