The final FAQ ahead of Dodgers-Phillies NLDS

It’s about damn time. For years we’ve been circling Phillies vs. Dodgers like it was some kind of baseball prophecy, only for the Padres, Diamondbacks, or (painfully) the Mets to screw it up. Not this year. The universe finally cleared the schedule, and now the two best teams in baseball are about to throw hands in the NLDS.

Forget the seeding. Forget the round. This feels like a heavyweight fight that could easily be the NLCS or World Series. Instead, we get it Saturday night in South Philly. Citizens Bank Park. Shohei Ohtani vs. Cristopher Sánchez. National TV.

When and Where?

Game 1 is Saturday night at 6:38 p.m. ET on TBS, truTV, and HBO Max. (Yes, we live in a world where playoff baseball is on truTV. No, we don’t know why either.) If you’re outside the U.S., MLB.TV has you covered, unless you’re in Canada—then you’re stuck with Sportsnet or TVA Sports.

The full Phillies-Dodgers NLDS schedule (all on TBS):

• Game 1 – Saturday, 6:38 p.m.
• Game 2 – Monday, 6:08 p.m.
• Game 3 – Wednesday, 9:08 p.m.
• Game 4 – Thursday, 6:08 p.m.
• Game 5 – Saturday, 8:08 p.m.

The Pitching Matchup

Dodgers: Shohei Ohtani (1-1, 2.87 ERA)
Finally. Ohtani’s first postseason start on the mound. He blanked the Phillies for five hitless innings in September before Dave Roberts yanked him. No restrictions this time. He’s the best player on the planet, and he’s walking straight into the lion’s den of Citizens Bank Park.

Phillies: Cristopher Sánchez (13-5, 2.50 ERA)
With Wheeler shelved, Sánchez has turned into the guy. Legit Cy Young candidate. Second in innings, third in ERA, fifth in strikeouts. The kid’s gone from “filler arm” to “ace material” in about two years. If you’re worried about the big stage, don’t—he’s been nails all season.

Probable Lineups

Dodgers

1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
2. Mookie Betts, SS
3. Teoscar Hernández, RF
4. Freddie Freeman, 1B
5. Max Muncy, 3B
6. Andy Pages, CF
7. Tommy Edman, 2B (bum ankle included)
8. Kiké Hernández, LF
9. Ben Rortvedt, C

Phillies

1. Trea Turner, SS
2. Kyle Schwarber, DH
3. Bryce Harper, 1B
4. Alec Bohm, 3B
5. Brandon Marsh, LF
6. Harrison Bader, CF
7. J.T. Realmuto, C
8. Max Kepler, RF
9. Bryson Stott, 2B

Dodgers vs. Phillies: Trust Eye Test, Position-by-Position Advantages

Bullpen Blues: Who Do You Trust?

Dodgers: Their bullpen is a roulette wheel with explosives taped to it. Tanner Scott has been a disaster, Treinen’s been shaky, and nobody knows who the closer actually is. Roki Sasaki flashed 101 mph heat in the Wild Card, but the guy’s also been inconsistent all season.

Phillies: Jhoan Duran changes everything. He’s been untouchable since the deadline trade. Strahm and Kerkering handle the bridge, Banks has been nails with runners on, and you might even see Ranger Suárez lurking in a fireman role.

Who’s Banged Up?

• Dodgers: Will Smith’s fractured hand means he’s basically pinch-hitter insurance, not a full-time catcher. Edman’s ankle is holding together with duct tape.
• Phillies: The big one is Wheeler, out after surgery. Turner’s hamstring is the other question—he’s back, but we don’t know if he’s 100% full throttle on the bases.

Dodgers at Phillies: Game 1 Odds

FanDuel Sportsbook and other oddsmakers have this series pretty tight. The Phillies are slightly favored over the Dodgers in Game 1 (-122) with the -1.5 spread sitting at +180. The over/under is set at 7.5 runs. 

Who’s Hot, Who’s Not

Phillies: Bohm, Marsh, Stott, and Bader all ended the season on fire. Realmuto and Harper did not. Even still, we’re talking about playoff risers. JT Realmuto has all the postseason experience in the world and Bryce Harper lives for October.

Dodgers: Betts woke up in September and torched the Reds in the Wild Card. Kiké Hernández is in “random October hero” mode again. But Pages is ice cold, and Muncy looks gimpy.

Matchup Notes

This is the sixth postseason clash between these two franchises. Dodgers won in ’77 and ’78. Phillies took it in ’83, ’08, and ’09. Philly’s 13-5 at home in the postseason since 2022. Citizens Bank Park isn’t just a stadium—it’s a death trap for opposing pitchers.

Whatever It Takes

Ohtani might be the biggest star in the sport, but he’s walking into the loudest, drunkest, most hostile environment baseball has to offer. If the Phillies get him out early and crack that shaky bullpen, South Philly is going to shake.

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