NLDS Bracket 2019: Dates, TV Schedule for Cardinals vs. Braves Series

The St. Louis Cardinals are heading to the postseason for the first time since 2015 after clinching the National League Central title on the last day of the regular season. The Cardinals beat the Cubs 9-0 on Sunday to force the Milwaukee Brewers to settle for the NL Wild Card Game against the Washington Nationals.  

The Cardinals (91-71) will meet NL East champion Atlanta Braves (97-65) in one of two National League Division Series. The winner of the Brewers-Nationals game will go on to play the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Braves beat the Cardinals in four of their six meetings this season and will play the first two games of the best-of-five series at home.

Schedule for Braves vs. Cardinals 2019 NLDS

Game 1: Cardinals at Braves on Thursday, Oct. 3

Game 2: Cardinals at Braves on Friday, Oct. 4

Game 3: Braves at Cardinals on Sunday, Oct. 6

Game 4*: Braves at Cardinals on Monday, Oct. 7

Game 5*: Cardinals at Braves on Wednesday, Oct. 9

* if necessary

All games will be televised on TBS. Exact start times for the broadcasts are to be determined.

The Braves will be looking to improve on last year's playoff performance, when they lost to the Dodgers in four games in the NLDS. They boast one of the most electrifying players in the league in outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. The 21-year-old sensation smacked 41 home runs this year and 101 RBI. He also led the National League with 127 runs scored and 37 stolen bases. All this, in just his second year in the majors.

Acuna figures to be the focal point for Cardinals pitchers, but they also have to contend with a consistent masher in first baseman Freddie Freeman (38 HR, 121 RBI). The concern for Atlanta is that injuries suffered toward the end of the season will hamper their production. Freeman isn't worried about his elbow.

"I feel fine", he said Sunday, per AJC.com's Gabriel Burns. "Obviously it's not what I want it to be, but it's not affecting anything. I feel fine. I'm in there today. I have no reservations going forward. I told you guys if I felt good, I'd play all three games and I feel good."

On the mound, the Braves will look to starter Dallas Keuchel for postseason experience. Keuchel (8-8, 3.75 ERA) won a World Series ring with the Houston Astros in 2017. Another Braves starter to watch is All-Star Mike Soroka. The 21-year-old went 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA, third-best among NL starters.

The Cardinals had just one All-Star this year in shortstop Paul DeJong, who notched 30 home runs and 78 RBI but has struggled in the last few weeks of the regular season. Second baseman Kolten Wong (.285 BA, .361 OBP) is a tough out, while first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (34 HR) and left fielder Marcell Ozuna (29 HR) can put a jolt into the baseball.

The Cardinals also boast several live arms and figure to make life difficult for Braves hitters. St. Louis finished with a 3.80 ERA, fifth-best in the majors. Jack Flaherty, 23, is the one to watch. The right-handed starter went 10-5 after the All-Star break with a microscopic 0.93 ERA.

"His second half is as good as you're going to see anyone pitch in the history of the game," infielder Matt Carpenter said, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale. "I mean, it was lights-out every time he stepped on the mound."

The Cardinals will need more of Flaherty's magic in what figures to be a tough series against the Braves. They stumbled at the end of the season, but it's all behind them now. The winner of this series will have to get into top form quickly, as a path to the World Series in the NL likely goes through the 106-win Dodgers.