The Atlanta Braves host the Los Angeles Dodgers at Truist Park on Thursday, August 27, with first pitch scheduled for 7:15 PM ET. This is a marquee regular season matchup between two of baseball's most recognized franchises, and the pitching duel at the center of it — Chris Sale squaring off against Yoshinobu Yamamoto — gives this one must-watch quality. The game airs nationally on FS1 and locally on BravesVision, with radio coverage on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan.

Starting Pitchers: Chris Sale vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Atlanta sends Chris Sale to the hill, a left-handed veteran who has shown the ability to dominate lineups when he is at his best. Sale's combination of a sharp slider and elite command makes him a legitimate weapon against any opposing order, including a Dodgers lineup loaded with dangerous hitters from top to bottom.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto gets the nod for Los Angeles. The right-hander arrived in the majors with enormous expectations and the stuff to back them up — a high-spin fastball, a devastating splitter, and the kind of composure on the mound that makes him a legitimate ace-caliber starter. Facing a Braves lineup that will need to grind out at-bats, Yamamoto presents a serious challenge.

Both pitchers give their respective clubs a genuine chance to win, which means the team that scores first and protects the lead late will likely control the outcome.

Atlanta Braves Lineup

• 1. Drake Baldwin, C
• 2. Ozzie Albies, 2B
• 3. Matt Olson, 1B
• 4. Mauricio Dubón, LF
• 5. Michael Harris II, CF
• 6. Lane Thomas, DH
• 7. Mike Yastrzemski, RF
• 8. Austin Riley, 3B
• 9. Ha-Seong Kim, SS

Los Angeles Dodgers Lineup

• 1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
• 2. Tommy Edman, CF
• 3. Mookie Betts, SS
• 4. Freddie Freeman, 1B
• 5. Teoscar Hernández, LF
• 6. Miguel Rojas, 2B
• 7. Alex Call, RF
• 8. Enrique Hernández, 3B
• 9. Ben Rortvedt, C

Keys to Watch for the Braves

Can Atlanta's Lineup Handle Yamamoto?

Yamamoto does not give hitters much to work with. For the Braves to generate offense, Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson will need to set the tone early. Olson batting third gives Atlanta a legitimate power threat, and if the lineup can string together quality at-bats rather than chasing Yamamoto's off-speed offerings out of the zone, Atlanta has a path to putting runs on the board.

Freddie Freeman Returns to Truist Park

Freddie Freeman hitting cleanup for the Dodgers is a storyline the Truist Park crowd will not ignore. The former Brave and World Series champion is one of the most complete hitters in the game, and Sale will need to be sharp and deliberate working through that stretch of the Los Angeles order — Betts, Freeman, and Teoscar Hernández back-to-back-to-back is not a section any pitcher takes lightly.

Sale's Command Against a Deep Lineup

Shohei Ohtani leads off for Los Angeles, which means Sale faces one of the sport's most dangerous hitters before the lineup even settles into its rhythm. Sale's ability to limit walks and work efficiently through the Dodgers' top half will go a long way toward determining how deep he can pitch into this game.

Prediction

This is a pitching-first game, and both starters are capable of keeping it close into the late innings. The Braves have home-field advantage and the Truist Park crowd behind them, which counts for something in a tight game. Atlanta's lineup will need to be opportunistic — take the walks Yamamoto offers, make him work, and cash in when chances arise. Sale matching Yamamoto's intensity will keep Atlanta in it. Expect a low-scoring game that comes down to the bullpens. Edge: Braves, 3-2.