The Los Angeles Dodgers punched their ticket to the National League Division Series with a decisive 10-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night, advancing past the Wild Card round. Blake Snell delivered a masterful postseason debut, scattering just two runs over seven innings, while the Dodgers' bats exploded for five home runs, including two from Teoscar Hernández and Shohei Ohtani. Indeed, this win caps a grueling Wild Card series where the Dodgers stole momentum after dropping the opener, now setting up a highly anticipated rematch with the Philadelphia Phillies.
However, the Phillies enter this best-of-five series with the advantage of home-field, thanks to their superior regular-season record. Game 1 kicks off Saturday evening at Citizens Bank Park, with first pitch slated for 7:00 p.m. ET on TBS. The full schedule unfolds quickly: Game 2 on Sunday at 5:00 p.m., followed by potential Games 3 and 4 back in Los Angeles on Tuesday and Wednesday, if needed. Game 5, should it come to that, returns to Philadelphia on Friday, October 10. Moreover, pitching matchups remain fluid, but expect the Phillies to lean on Zack Wheeler or Aaron Nola early, countering the Dodgers' deep rotation anchored by Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Yesterday's MLB action wrapped with the Dodgers' triumph, while other Wild Card games saw the Yankees, Padres, and Guardians forcing decisive Game 3s today—results that could shape the AL bracket but leave the NL focused squarely on this Dodgers-Phillies showdown. The Phillies, fresh off a first-round bye, boast a rested bullpen and a lineup clicking at 95 wins, yet questions linger about their ability to contain Ohtani's MVP form. For the Dodgers, defending champions with 98 victories, this feels like unfinished business from last year's NLCS loss to the Diamondbacks.
Indeed, both teams carry baggage from recent playoffs, where close calls defined their paths. As the series looms, one wonders if Philadelphia's home roar can finally topple the Dodgers' star power.