NLDS Bracket 2019: TV Times, Live Stream for Thursday's Schedule

The Los Angeles Dodgers will try to quell Washington's playoff magic in Game 1 of the before it affects their best-of-five series. 

The two-time defending National League champion opens the postseason Thursday with Walker Buehler opposing Patrick Corbin. 

Washington, who used an eighth-inning rally to stay alive Tuesday, is trying to reverse an ugly trend for NL Wild Card Game winners. The previous three combined for one NLDS victory and the last two were swept. 

Thursday's opener between Atlanta and St. Louis pits an experienced hurler against one making the first playoff appearance of his career. 

The Braves' young core failed to make it out of the divisional round in 2018, and they are searching for the franchise's first playoff series win since 2001. St. Louis is back in the postseason for the first time since 2015. 

Thursday NLDS Schedule

Game 1: No. 3 St. Louis at No. 2 Atlanta (5:02 p.m. ET, TBS) 

Game 1: No. 4 Washington at No. 1 Los Angeles Dodgers (8:37 p.m., TBS) 

Games can be live-streamed on TBS.com or the TBS app. 

St. Louis at Atlanta

Dallas Keuchel was signed by the Braves for moments like this.

Butch Dill/Associated Press

The left-handed hurler has 10 postseason appearances, and he is expected to guide the young pitching staff through the National League bracket. 

Keuchel has never allowed more than four earned runs in a single playoff start, all of which came with the Houston Astros. 

Atlanta manager Brian Snitker noted the 31-year-old's experience when discussing his Game 1 decision, per The Athletic's Jeff Schultz. 

"It's why we got him," Snitker said. "He brought instant credibility. He's been through this war. He's a World Series champion. And I think when we signed him, we envisioned him making this opening start."

The Braves should hope for a performance similar to ones from August 20-September 11 in which Keuchel allowed four earned runs over 31 innings. 

Miles Mikolas makes his playoff debut Thursday. In his last three road starts, he limited Pittsburgh, Colorado and the Chicago Cubs to five earned runs. 

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

In three road matchups with NL playoff qualifiers, the 31-year-old conceded eight runs, including one to Washington and two to the Dodgers.

Mikolas will try to set the tone early with a few quick innings, per KDSK's Corey Miller. 

"I want to come out there, be aggressive, do what I do best and go from there," Mikolas said. "The first couple hitters will set the tone for our offense, and I'm going to set the tone for our pitching staff."

St. Louis' Game 1 starter faced Atlanta at Busch Stadium in May. He struck out nine batters while conceding a trio of earned runs. 

Dansby Swanson and Freddie Freeman hit sixth-inning home runs off Mikolas, but Ozzie Albies, Josh Donaldson and Ronald Acuna combined to go 2-of-13. 

If the right-hander silences Atlanta's lineup, St. Louis could take the lead in a close game and hold on to it. The Cardinals earned their last five road wins by one or two runs. 

Washington at Los Angeles Dodgers

Nick Wass/Associated Press

The NL Wild Card Game winner has scored three runs in its last four games dating back to Arizona's NLDS Game 3 loss to the Dodgers in 2017. 

A year ago, Colorado put up two in Game 1 versus Milwaukee and was shutout for the final 19 innings of the series. 

There could be some concern the Nationals will do the same thing since they struggled for the first seven innings Tuesday and face the Dodgers after a cross-country trip on short rest. 

Washington's players know it will be a tough task, but they are up for it, per MLB.com's Zachary Silver. 

"It's going to be tough," infielder Trea Turner said, "but I think if there's a team that's ever been ready to face some adversity, it's this one right here."

Dave Martinez's ball club enters on a nine-game winning streak, but all of them occurred at home. 

In three September road series versus playoff teams, the Nationals went 4-6, with four of the defeats coming by two runs or fewer. 

Two of those wins were earned by Game 1 starter Patrick Corbin, who struck out 11 St. Louis batters while giving up five hits in six scoreless innings in his last road appearance. On May 9, the southpaw tossed seven scoreless frames at Dodger Stadium in a 6-0 victory.

Dave Roberts opted for Walker Buehler over Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu. The decision was based on the short and long-term postseason view, per Dodger Insider's Rowan Kavner. 

Gregory Bull/Associated Press

"I think, obviously, all three of our guys deserve the opportunity to pitch the first game," Roberts said. "We just felt that Walker getting an opportunity to pitch the first game, also potentially a Game 5, gives us the best chance to win—regardless of the opponent."

Buehler won four of his last six starts and shined at home May 11 versus Washington, as he struck out seven and shutout the Nats for seven innings. 

The 25-year-old's best postseason performance was a seven-inning gem in Game 3 of the 2018 World Series. 

He should receive plenty of backing from his offense, as the Dodgers scored 19 runs in their last three NLDS openers. 

A year ago, the first three hitters in the order combined for four runs, four RBIs and three hits. If Justin Turner and Max Muncy can provide a similar spark Thursday, the Dodgers will hand either Kershaw or Ryu a one-game advantage. 

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Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference