Report: Dodgers are treating Phillies NLDS matchup like their own personal World Series

The Philadelphia Phillies haven’t even thrown out the first pitch of the NLDS and the Los Angeles Dodgers are already acting like they’ve reached the mountaintop.

Not even 24-hours removed from steamrolling the Cincinnati Reds, the Dodgers are calling their upcoming division series against the two-seeded Phillies their first real postseason test.

Honestly, I can get on board with calling the Reds an irrelevant baseball team. I can also get behind The Fightins being considered a legitimate test for the Dodgers, but the entire conversation today from L.A. is like they have completely forgotten what lies ahead in the postseason.

Forget the Brewers, forget whoever’s waiting in the American League.

Again, I agree for the most part. Fuck those guys. It’s still funny that LA thinks beating the Phillies is their World Series.

Shop Phillies Gear Here

Dodgers show their cards to the Phillies

As Bob Nightengale put it in USA TODAY:

“The Dodgers won’t say it – not wanting to disrespect the other 10 teams still in the dance but they believe this very well could be their World Series.”

Sure, this is coming from Bobby Nightengale, who’s not exactly a beacon of journalism but you get my point. The Dodgers are doing everything possible to hype themselves up for a dogfight in the jungle, commonly known as Citizens Bank Park here in Philadelphia.

My Response for the Phillies: “Good Luck”

Let’s set the record straight. The Phillies aren’t just some trendy team on a hot streak. They’re the most complete squad in the National League and World Series favorites.

• 96-win powerhouse featuring Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Trea Turner.
• Rotation that’s nails with Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suárez, and Jesús Luzardo.
• Clubhouse full of guys who have been here before and won in October.

This is a roster built for chaos in Citizens Bank Park, and that’s exactly what the Dodgers are walking into Saturday night.

Say Hello to the Greatest Showman, Bryce Harper

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Liberty Line (@libertylinephl)

Dodgers Have the Scars to Prove It

The Phillies won 4-of-6 games against LA this season. The last time the Dodgers beat the Phillies in the postseason was 1978. The last time these two franchises met in October, the Phils sent them home in 2009. The year before that? Same thing.

Los Angeles might have won 17 of their last 22, but let’s not pretend they’re bulletproof. Their bullpen is trash, they can’t play sound baseball on the East Coast, and no one rises to the occasion like Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and the rest of the Phillies when it matters most. The Fightins are built to exploit every weakness coming out of the Dodgers clubhouse.

Citizens Bank Park Is No Dress Rehearsal

What the Dodgers just did against the Reds was a warm-up gig. Now they’re stepping into the real show. The scene waiting for them in South Philly will be unlike anything they’ve faced.

• A packed ballpark that’s less “stadium” and more “thunderdome.”
• Fans who will remind Shohei Ohtani, in his first postseason start on the mound, exactly where he is every single pitch.
• A lineup that smells blood and knows how to deliver the knockout punch.

The Phillies aren’t just another round on the bracket. For the Dodgers, they are the Final Boss. If LA truly thinks this is their World Series, they’re already playing from behind.

Join The Chase