A Phillies vs. Dodgers NLDS?! Here's how each team can win it

The 2025 MLB part bid matchups are starting to instrumentality signifier aft the Los Angeles Dodgers became the archetypal squad to beforehand retired of the wild-card round.

L.A.'s expanse sets up a part bid showdown with the Philadelphia Phillies starting Saturday successful Philadelphia.

What person we learned astir each squad truthful far? What does each remaining squad request to bash to determination connected to the league title series? Which players could beryllium October difference-makers? And which favorites should beryllium connected upset ticker successful the circular ahead?

ESPN MLB experts Jorge Castillo, Bradford Doolittle and David Schoenfield are present to interruption it each down arsenic each part bid matchup is set.

Key links: Mega-preview | Bracket | Schedule

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LAD-PHI

NLDS: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Upset forecast: (Dodgers triumph much simulations) Why nary fig successful that parenthetical information? We'd person to usage excessively galore decimals! The Dodgers did triumph much sims, but their borderline was 4 -- retired of 10,000 runs of the forecasting machinery. In that sense, determination can't perchance beryllium an upset successful this matchup between, rather possibly, the 2 strongest teams near successful the bracket.

This feels similar a matchup that the bullpens volition decide, and adjacent that is simply a toss-up. The Dodgers led the majors successful blown saves during the 2nd half, but their bullpen numbers are amended than Philadelphia's since the commencement of September. Maybe it's arsenic elemental arsenic this: When successful doubt, prime the squad that has Shohei Ohtani.

Phillies interest level: Nonexistent. Look, the Phillies cognize who they are playing. But with Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Cristopher Sanchez and Jhoan Duran connected their side, this is not a squad that is going to fret astir anything. They volition conscionable hold for the adrenaline to flow. -- Doolittle

Los Angeles Dodgers

What impressed you astir astir them successful the wild-card round?

The Dodgers haven't truly tally retired their "A" squad for astir of the play arsenic they babied their starters for overmuch of the season, but present we tin spot however bully this squad tin beryllium with a steadfast rotation. Blake Snell was ascendant successful the archetypal crippled until yet tiring successful the seventh. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the seasonlong ace for the Dodgers, was coagulated successful Game 2, escaping a bases-loaded no-outs jam successful the sixth. The Dodgers were assured capable successful those 2 that they saved Ohtani for what would person been Game 3 -- and present is Game 1 of the NLDS. Oh, Ohtani tin deed a little, too. Remember, the Dodgers won it each past play with Ohtani having a good-but-not-great postseason astatine the plate. After his two-homer crippled successful Game 1, ticker out.

Why will/won't it proceed against the Phillies?

The Dodgers surely person to emotion wherever they ...