Monday’s NL Division Series slate kicks off with a heavyweight clash between baseball powerhouses — and if Game 2 is anything like their first encounter, expect even more fireworks.
On Saturday, the Philadelphia Phillies tagged Shohei Ohtani for three early runs in the first MLB postseason start of his career, igniting a raucous ovation from the home crowd. But the ever-resilient Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t flinch. The defending World Series champs answered with five runs across the sixth and seventh innings en route to a 5-3 win in Game 1.
With the win, the Dodgers have already stolen home-field advantage from Philadelphia and will be eager to seize Game 2 before flying back to Los Angeles with a commanding lead. That’s easier said than done against the Phillies — who entered October as World Series favorites — especially at Citizens Bank Park, home to one of the most electric atmospheres in sports. Philadelphia went 55-26 at home this season.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:08 p.m. ET. Los Angeles holds a slight edge at -121 on the moneyline, while Philadelphia is listed at -101 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The total is set at 7.5 runs.
Dodgers vs. Phillies preview
Blake Snell takes the hill for Los Angeles. The 32-year-old, two-time Cy Young winner made only 11 starts in his debut season with the Dodgers, but unequivocally shoved when healthy. Across 61.1 innings, Snell boasted a 2.35 ERA, 2.70 FIP, 1.26 WHIP, and racked up 72 strikeouts.
Snell has some of the nastiest stuff around, and his underlying metrics back that up. This season, he ranked in the 95th percentile or better in offspeed run value (8), average exit velocity (86.2 mph), chase rate (33.9%), and whiff rate (35.6%).
While Snell is a strikeout artist who limits hard contact, his elevated walk rate was the biggest concern entering October. That didn’t seem to be an issue in Game 1 of the Wild Card, when Snell threw seven innings of two-run ball against the Reds with just one walk compared to nine punchouts.
Snell faced the Phillies in his second-to-last regular season outing, delivering seven shutout innings on two hits and two walks with a season-high 12 Ks.
He’ll face another dominant southpaw: Jesus Luzardo. The Phillies acquired Luzardo from the Marlins last December after an injury-limited season of just 12 starts. The 28-year-old swiftly bounced back with Philadelphia, logging 30+ starts for only the second time in his career.
Across a personal-best 183.2 innings, Luzardo offset a modest 3.92 ERA with an elite 2.90 FIP, 1.22 WHIP, and 216 strikeouts — tied with Paul Skenes for the fourth most K’s in MLB. His Baseball Savant profile paints a prettier, even more well-rounded picture: Luzardo’s pitching, breaking, and offspeed run value all rank in the 92nd percentile or better. The only knock on his game comes from his short 5.9-foot extension, which gives hitters a split-second longer to react and contributes to a slightly below-average four-seam fastball.
Luzardo saw the Dodgers twice this season, with starkly different outcomes. On April 4, he tossed seven scoreless innings with eight strikeouts. He again went seven innings on Sept. 17, but surrendered four earned runs and two homers — one off his fastball.
Dodgers vs. Phillies pick, best bet
The Dodgers and Phillies have two of the most complete offenses in the sport, lineups that can do damage even when their top stars are quiet. Game 1 was a case in point.
The three-headed monster of Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman went 1-for-12 with a walk on Saturday. Not to be outdone, the big three of Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper went 1-for-11 with a lone free pass. And yet, the Phillies flashed their ability to string together hits in a three-run second inning, while the Dodgers rallied for five runs across the sixth and seventh — capped by a go-ahead, three-run slam from Teoscar Hernandez.
Both teams are capable of offensive explosions, and this game could come down to who blinks first. It’s going to be up to the starters to tighten up before stars get hot, and for their relievers to back them up if they don’t.
The Dodgers got creative in Game 1 by adding Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki to their bullpen, both of whom logged scoreless outings. But Philadelphia holds the edge with one of the deepest relief corps in the postseason, headlined by their flamethrowing trade deadline acquisition: Jhoan Duran.
Both bullpens should be fresh for Monday, with Ohtani and Cristopher Sanchez going respectable distances in Game 1 ahead of Sunday’s off day.
