Dodgers Face Rival Braves in Division Series Preview
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The Los Angeles Dodgers are getting ready to play the Atlanta Braves in a baseball division series. The Braves are seen as a difficult rival for the Dodgers, since the two teams have had a poor history against each other in recent matchups.
Hot weather is expected to be a major factor in the series, with temperatures possibly reaching near 40 degrees Celsius. This kind of heat can affect player performance and team strategy during games.
Starting pitchers are also expected to play a key role in deciding the outcome. Both teams will depend heavily on strong pitching performances to gain an advantage over their opponent.
Braves manager Brian Snitker has said he is being careful about how he uses pitcher Chris Sale. He explained that he does not want to put Sale's health at risk during the series.
The Braves reached this stage after winning in the Wild Card Series, a short set of games used to decide which teams move on to the next round of the playoffs. Their win there means they now advance to face the Dodgers in the division series.
This matchup is part of the wider Major League Baseball postseason, where teams compete through several rounds to reach the championship.
Vocabulary7 words
- division series
- a set of baseball games between two teams; part of the playoffs
- rival
- a team that competes strongly against another team
- Starting pitchers
- the player who throws the ball first in a game; key player
- manager
- the person in charge of a sports team
- Wild Card Series
- a short set of games deciding who enters the playoffs
- playoffs
- games after the regular season to find the champion
- postseason
- the time after the regular season when playoff games happen
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Quiz
Answer key
1. Dodgers and Braves 2. Extreme heat 3. He wants to protect Sale's health
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are getting ready to play the Atlanta Braves in a baseball _____.
The Braves are seen as a difficult _____ for the Dodgers.
Hot weather is expected to be a major _____ in the series.
Temperatures could reach near _____ degrees Celsius.
_____ pitchers are expected to play a key role in the outcome.
Braves manager Brian Snitker has said he is being _____ about how he uses pitcher Chris Sale.
He does not want to put Sale's _____ at risk.
The Braves reached this stage after winning in the Wild Card _____.
This matchup is part of the wider Major League Baseball _____.
Teams compete through several rounds to reach the _____.
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