The first half of the NL Wild Card round has come to a close, with the Los Angeles Dodgers punching their ticket to face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS.
As surprising as it may be, given the recent success of both franchises, this will mark the first postseason meeting between the Dodgers and Phillies since the 2009 NLCS, where Philadelphia came out on top in a 4–1 series win.
This upcoming showdown is shaping up to be a must-watch, with plenty for baseball fans to get excited about.
The Dodgers powered their way past the Cincinnati Reds in the NL Wild Card round, taking Game 1 with a 10–5 win and sealing the series with an 8–4 victory in Game 2.
Following their strong performance, the Dodgers have surged ahead of the Phillies in World Series odds, now sitting at +420.
Though this series felt inevitable with the Phillies locking up the No. 2 seed, there was a glimmer of hope that the Reds might pull off the unthinkable. But let’s face it—no disrespect to Reds fans—the New York Mets essentially handed Cincinnati the final Wild Card spot in Game 162. The Reds finished their last 80 games with a 40–40 record: the very definition of average.
Hopefully, Phillies fans didn’t assume the Dodgers wouldn’t be part of the picture—because if they did, it’s time to buckle up. This is going to be a wild ride. We’ll quickly find out whether this Phillies team is truly built to make another run at a World Series title, especially as they go up against the reigning champions.
One word keeps coming to mind when thinking about this matchup: dogfight.
This is a star studded matchup.
Dodgers: Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Teoscar Hernández, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow
Phillies: Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, Trea Turner, Alec Bohm, Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo, Ranger Suárez, Jhoan Durán
While Phillies fans are cautious — and rightfully so — about thinking this series will be easy, there are clear paths for the Phils to take down the Boys in Blue.
Key Advantages:
Left-Handed Pitching
Yes, the Dodgers hit lefties well this year, posting a .255 team average that ranked sixth in the league. But here’s the catch: it’s not about quantity, it’s about quality.
The Phillies can roll out Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo, and Ranger Suárez — three legitimate left-handed starters who can neutralize L.A.’s righty-heavy lineup. Having multiple quality southpaws in a short series could be the deciding factor.
Offensive Power and Ability.
For the Phillies to win, the big bats have to show up. Kyle Schwarber, who led the National League with 56 home runs and paced all of baseball with 132 RBIs, sets the tone. Bryce Harper — a proven October superstar over the past three postseasons — is built for these moments. And Trea Turner, fresh off capturing the 2025 NL batting title, adds speed and consistency to the top of the lineup.
But the Phils’ offense isn’t just about the headliners. Brandon Marsh has put together a career year, providing clutch hitting and much-needed depth in the order. J.T. Realmuto, after a slow start, picked up his play in the second half and gives Philadelphia both veteran leadership and power at a premium position. And the trade deadline addition of Harrison Bader has quietly been huge — his speed, contact hitting, and elite defense bring a different dimension that could swing a tight playoff game.
If the Phillies’ lineup stays balanced — with stars producing and role players stepping up — they can match, and even outslug, the Dodgers’ firepower.
But the playoffs are a different animal. It’s not just about who can hit more home runs. October baseball demands execution in the little things. This is where small ball matters. Forget the grind of 162 games built on walks, strikeouts, and waiting for the long ball. In the postseason, it’s about bunting runners over, stretching singles into doubles, scoring from first on a ball in the gap, or from second on a hard-hit single. It’s about grinding out at-bats, refusing to chase pitches, and pitchers locating every offering with precision.
It all comes down to everyone’s favorite October phrase: small ball.
The game changes in October — and the teams that adapt, win. The bats must come alive.
Home Field Advantage
Historically, the Phillies have never won a playoff series after dropping Game 1. And in baseball — arguably the most superstitious sport on the planet — that kind of trend tends to stick. (Think pitchers stepping over foul lines, players wearing the same socks every game, or repeating the same exact routine on game days.)
Of course, streaks like this are “a thing until they’re not.” But the point remains: Philadelphia must strike early. Not because of superstition, but because home field matters. The Dodgers were just 41–40 on the road this season, a stark contrast to their dominance at Dodger Stadium. Citizens Bank Park is one of the toughest environments for visiting teams in October, and the Phillies have to capitalize on that edge from the very first pitch.
Bullpen
The Phillies’ bullpen was the hot topic through the first couple months of the season. There were real questions about whether Orion Kerkering was ready to take the next step, if Matt Strahm could replicate the success of his previous years, and then the total disaster that was Jordan Romano’s early stretch.
The biggest blow came in May, when José Alvarado — the one truly dependable arm the Phillies had at the time — was suspended 80 games for violating Major League Baseball’s PED policy. Up to that point, Alvarado looked like he was on pace for a career year, and losing him left the bullpen exposed.
After a slow start, Orion Kerkering went on a hot streak for most of the summer, Matt Strahm began to find his groove, and Jordan Romano… well, eventually found a new role: water boy.
That doesn’t take away from other contributors. Tanner Banks arguably pitched at an All-Star level at times, Max Lazar filled his role seamlessly, and — dare the name be spoken — Taijuan Walker delivered exactly what the Phillies needed when it mattered most. Walker proved to be the ultimate teammate this season, moving in and out of the bullpen whenever asked and never missing a beat.
Just days before the trade deadline, the Phillies attended a workout for veteran reliever David Robertson — and immediately signed him. At 40 years old, few expected Robertson to have a third stint in Philadelphia, but he came in and shut opponents down. His presence instantly stabilized the bullpen, giving the Phillies a trusted, battle-tested arm they can lean on in October.
The Phillies didn’t stop with Robertson. At the trade deadline, they sent two top-10 prospects, Eduardo Tait and Mick Abel, to the Minnesota Twins for 27-year-old flamethrower Jhoan Durán. Durán immediately transformed the back end of the bullpen, locking down the ninth inning and giving Philadelphia a traditional closer they could trust in high-leverage October situations.
On August 31st, the Phillies signed free agent Walker Buehler, who had been released by the Boston Red Sox just days earlier. Buehler provides the Phillies with depth far beyond the traditional “long man” role.
In October, he can wear many hats: start a game, come out of the bullpen in a pinch and provide multiple innings, or close out high-leverage situations. He’s done it before — including pitching the final inning to clinch the World Series last year at Yankee Stadium for the Los Angeles Dodgers — and Philadelphia can lean on that versatility when it matters most.
This is a lot to ask, but this team is built for more than 162 games — they’re built to win in October. The Dodgers aren’t the easiest matchup, especially this early in the postseason, but the Phillies can compete with them. Everything has to fall into place, as it does for any championship team, but we’ve seen this group do all the right things — pitching, hitting, small ball, bullpen execution — in long stretches during the season. Now, they just need a little magic, a little earlier than we might have expected.
