The San Diego Padres two-game sweep of the Wild Card round means the Los Angeles Dodgers will be playing in the heat on Saturday.
MLB announced previously that the Dodgers will begin the National League Division Series at 1 p.m. PT on Saturday with a Padres series win, and now the only question is who the Dodgers will be facing.
The Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies’ series-deciding game is Thursday, and the winner will be in LA come Saturday.
That timing adds a wrinkle to an already intriguing NLDS, as weather forecasts have the high temperature that day at 100 degrees.
How will the heat impact the Braves and Dodgers?
The Braves, coming from the South, are likely used to high temperatures like this, though there will certainly be a difference in humidity.
The Phillies are likely less used to it, perhaps giving the Dodgers a slim advantage.
However, the big effect is likely to be on all teams’ offenses.
As Faiza Mohammed detailed for The Weather Channel, hot air means balls travel farther, so what was a pop fly in April could be a homer during this heat wave.
“When temperatures climb, that ball encounters less pushback and travels farther on the exact same hit,” she explained. “Think of it like running into a light breeze versus a strong headwind.”
Interestingly, per MLB, the Dodgers and Braves both hit exactly 204 home runs this season, so it’s not as if one team inherently benefits more than the other.
The Phillies, meanwhile, hit only 182 homers, though it’s worth noting that their season was saved by back-to-back homers by sluggers Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper on Wednesday.
Given that all three of these teams can hit for power, it’s likely the hot temperatures will benefit whoever is swinging the bats better on a particular day.
Who do the Dodgers match up better with, the Phillies or the Braves?
The Dodgers are set up to compete with the Braves, but the Phillies are a better matchup, writes Dodgers Nation’s Aaron Coloma.
Not only did the Braves recently sweep the Dodgers, but “the star power present in the Braves’ lineup adds too many variables to the equation,” Aaron said.
“That’s not to say that any of the Phillies’ superstars, such as Bryce Harper or Kyle Schwarber, can’t do that, but the Dodgers have already gotten the job done against the Phillies several times this season,” he said. “The Braves are also just the better team of the two, winning the NL East over the Phillies by six games.”
On Thursday, we’ll get to find out who’s headed to LA for a very hot NLDS.
