The first round of the National League Division Series is officially set: our hometown Philadelphia Phillies will square off against none other than the Los Angeles Dodgers.
A postseason clash between these two powerhouses always felt inevitable. Both franchises hail from major markets with loyal fan bases and feature rosters filled with star power and household names. The Dodgers bring Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Clayton Kershaw, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, while the Phillies counter with Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Kyle Schwarber—players recognized not only by baseball fans but by the broader sports audience.
Adding to the intrigue, many expect the National League MVP race to come down to Ohtani or Schwarber.
Beyond individual star power, both franchises have sustained remarkable team success. According to MLB.com, since the start of the 2023 season the Dodgers lead all of baseball with 304 total wins (postseason included), with the Phillies close behind at 290.
Game 1 of the series will air on TBS, TruTV, and HBO Max this Saturday, October 4.
As of Thursday afternoon, the start time has yet to be finalized. First pitch will be scheduled for either 6:08 p.m. ET (3:08 p.m. PT) or 6:38 p.m. ET (3:38 p.m. PT), depending on the outcome of Game 3 between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox on Thursday evening.
If the Yankees win, the Dodgers Phillies opener will begin at 6:38 p.m. ET. If the Red Sox prevail, first pitch will be set for 6:08 p.m. ET.
Ohtani, the two-way superstar and three-time MVP with back-to-back honors in 2023 and 2024, will take the mound for the visiting Dodgers in Game 1. A force at the plate, having finished the regular season with 55 home runs, Ohtani will now make his long-awaited postseason pitching debut. He enters the series having not allowed a run over his final 16 2/3 innings of the season.
Opposite Ohtani will be Cristopher Sánchez (13–5, 2.50 ERA), who steps in with big shoes to fill as Zack Wheeler remains out for the rest of the season. Sánchez has been nothing short of outstanding in 2025, further cementing his case as a Cy Young contender and future ace of the pitching staff.
To reach the Division Series against Philadelphia, the Dodgers first had to get past the Cincinnati Reds, and they did so with an offensive outburst. In Game 1, Los Angeles scored 10 runs on 15 hits, followed by 8 runs on 13 hits in Game 2. With the Dodgers’ offense clearly firing on all cylinders and Ohtani set to make his postseason pitching debut, Game 1 shapes up as a formidable challenge for the Phillies.
The Division Series follows a best-of-five format. The first two games will be played in Philadelphia, with Games 3 and 4 at Dodger Stadium. Games 4 and 5 are “if necessary,” with Game 5 returning to Philadelphia should the series go that far.
With the level of talent on both rosters, this series promises to be anything but dull and should be a true treat for baseball fans.
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