After sweeping the Reds in a quick two-game series, the Dodgers moved on to face the second-seeded Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS. These two teams have historically managed to miss each other in the postseason, but this year they finally clashed — and the series did not disappoint. What followed was a classic battle of pitching duels and clutch moments, with each team fighting for every inch.
Game 1: Dodgers Rally Behind Ohtani, Teoscar
Game 1 saw Shohei Ohtani make his postseason pitching debut in one of the most hostile playoff environments in baseball — Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies handed the ball to emerging ace Cristopher Sánchez after Zack Wheeler was ruled out for the season.
The Phillies struck early, putting up three runs in the second inning. A defensive miscue by Teoscar Hernández in right field allowed two runs to score on a J.T. Realmuto triple, and Harrison Bader followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 3–0.
The Dodgers were quiet until the sixth inning when Freddie Freeman walked and Tommy Edman followed with a single. With two outs, postseason veteran Kiké Hernández roped a double to left, scoring both runners and ending Sánchez’s night. He finished with 5.2 innings pitched, 8 strikeouts, and 2 earned runs.
In the top of the seventh, Andy Pages led off with a single, and Will Smith was hit by a pitch. The Phillies brought in Matt Strahm, who got two quick outs — striking out Ohtani and inducing a pop-out from Mookie Betts. But with two on and two out, Teoscar Hernández redeemed himself with a three-run homer to right, giving the Dodgers a 5–3 lead.
Ohtani finished with six innings pitched, nine strikeouts, and three earned runs. In a bold move to avoid the shaky bullpen, Dave Roberts brought in starter Tyler Glasnow, who pitched through the seventh and into the eighth before loading the bases with two outs. Alex Vesia entered and narrowly escaped the jam.
Rookie Rōki Sasaki took the mound for the ninth and, aside from a double to Max Kepler, shut the door for the save. Dodgers took Game 1, 5–3.
Game 2: Snell Shines, Dodgers Hold On
Game 2 was another pitchers’ duel, with lefties Blake Snell (Dodgers) and Jesús Luzardo (Phillies) toeing the rubber. Luzardo, after some trouble in the first, settled in and carved up the Dodgers lineup until the seventh.
That’s when Teoscar Hernández and Freeman hit back-to-back singles. Luzardo’s day ended with six innings pitched, two earned runs, and five strikeouts. Kiké Hernández knocked in a run with a close infield single, and after a Max Muncy walk loaded the bases, Will Smith delivered a two-run single. Ohtani followed with an RBI single of his own, pushing the lead to 4–0.
Snell was masterful, allowing just one hit over six innings with nine strikeouts and four walks. Emmet Sheehan took the ball in the eighth but allowed a run after a Max Kepler triple and a Trea Turner RBI.
Then came the nerve-racking ninth. With a 4–1 lead, Roberts turned to the unreliable Blake Treinen. Treinen immediately gave up back-to-back doubles and a single, cutting the lead to 4–3. Vesia relieved him and faced Bryson Stott, who laid down a bunt. The Dodgers executed a textbook wheel play: Muncy charged, fielded the bunt, and threw to Betts covering third to tag the runner.
With runners on first and second, Vesia induced a groundout. Roberts then made the call he should’ve made earlier — bringing in Sasaki, who needed just two pitches to get Turner to ground out, securing a 4–3 win and a 2–0 series lead.
Game 3: Phillies Spoil LA Return
Back at Dodger Stadium with a chance to sweep, the Dodgers sent Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the mound against Phillies opener Aaron Nola. But the game quickly unraveled for LA.
Yamamoto gave up three runs and six hits in just four innings, including a mammoth 455-foot home run by Kyle Schwarber. LA’s bullpen was ineffective, and in the seventh, Clayton Kershaw — in a puzzling move — was brought in and left in too long. The Phillies capitalized with a five-run inning.
The Dodgers managed one run in the ninth, but it was too little, too late. They dropped Game 3, 8–2.
Game 4: Dodgers Walk It Off in Extras
Facing elimination, the Phillies sent Sánchez back to the mound, while the Dodgers countered with Glasnow. Both starters were dominant. Glasnow exited after six innings with just two hits allowed, three walks, and eight strikeouts.
In the top of the seventh, Sheehan replaced Glasnow but mishandled a play at first base, allowing a runner to reach second. Castellanos followed with a double down the line, scoring the game’s first run.
The Dodgers answered in the bottom half. After a walk and single, the Phillies brought in closer Jhoan Duran — looking for an 8-out save. Duran got a key out but intentionally walked Ohtani to face Betts, despite Ohtani’s 1-for-18 series. Betts worked a bases-loaded walk to tie the game 1–1.
Roberts then made a key decision — bringing in Sasaki in the eighth. The rookie was flawless, throwing three perfect innings under immense pressure. Vesia took over in the 11th and stranded a runner on second.
In the bottom of the 11th, Edman singled and was pinch-run for by Hyeseong Kim. After a single by Muncy and a walk to Kiké, the Dodgers had the bases loaded. Andy Pages hit a soft comebacker that bounced off the pitcher’s leg. In the confusion, a rushed throw home went wide, and Kim crossed the plate to win it, 2–1.
Sasaki’s Breakout Postseason
The unsung hero of the series was undoubtedly Rōki Sasaki. Initially expected to be a starter, he struggled, got injured, and was even sent to the minors. But in October, he’s emerged as a shutdown force in high-leverage situations — earning a save in Game 1, a two-pitch close in Game 2, and three perfect innings in Game 4. His emergence is exactly what the Dodgers bullpen needed.
NLCS Outlook: Dodgers vs. Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Cubs to return to the NLCS for a 2018 rematch against the Dodgers. Game 1 will feature Blake Snell, while the Brewers are considering an opener. Game 2 is set with Yoshinobu Yamamoto facing Freddy Peralta.
This matchup is already being dubbed “David vs. Goliath” — a clash between MLB’s smallest and biggest markets. The Brewers had the best regular-season record and are a gritty, persistent team. However, their pitching depth doesn’t quite stack up to LA’s, and their bullpen is taxed after a hard-fought series.
The Phillies held the Dodgers to under .200 as a team, with Ohtani going just 1-for-18. Still, LA prevailed behind elite starting pitching. They’ll likely need the same formula to get past Milwaukee.
Peralta and the Brewers bullpen present a tough challenge, especially with their velocity. But if the Dodgers’ rotation continues its dominance and the offense wakes up, LA has the edge. The road to becoming the first repeat champion in over two decades continues — and the next stop is the NLCS.