In a swift and decisive National League Wild Card series, the Los Angeles Dodgers dispatched the Cincinnati Reds with back-to-back victories, advancing to face the Philadelphia Phillies in the Division Series. Game 1 set the tone on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, where Blake Snell delivered a masterful postseason debut, pitching seven strong innings and allowing just two runs while striking out nine. The Dodgers' offense exploded for 10 runs, powered by five home runs—including two each from Teoscar Hernández and Shohei Ohtani—that left the Reds reeling in a 10-5 loss.
Predictions heading into the series had favored the Dodgers heavily, with their star-studded lineup and home-field advantage pegged as insurmountable against a gritty but overmatched Cincinnati squad. Analysts pointed to the Reds' pitching woes, and indeed, that played out. For Game 2 on Wednesday, the Reds turned to Zack Littell, the veteran right-hander looking to even the series. Littell, who had a solid regular season with a 3.63 ERA over 32 starts, entered with some postseason experience under his belt—even against the Dodgers from years back. But the pressure mounted quickly.
The Dodgers, however, wasted no time building on their momentum. Littell lasted only four innings, surrendering four runs on seven hits as Los Angeles jumped ahead early. Austin Hays provided a key spark from the outfield, ripping a two-run double in the third that chased Littell and widened the gap. The Dodgers added insurance with solo shots later, cruising to an 8-4 win that clinched the sweep. Snell's Game 1 heroics lingered in the air, underscoring the Dodgers' depth even without him on the mound this time.
Moreover, the series exposed the Reds' inconsistencies, particularly in clutch moments where their bats went quiet against Los Angeles' bullpen. Hays, acquired midseason in a trade, emerged as a quiet contributor, batting .286 in the playoffs so far and proving his value in high-stakes at-bats. Indeed, for the Dodgers, this was less a prediction fulfilled than a statement of their championship pedigree—repeating as World Series contenders now seems not just possible, but probable.
Yet as the playoffs unfold, one wonders how far this Dodgers machine can truly go before the inevitable tests arrive.