LOS ANGELES — 2025 was a bit of a strange year as far as the Dodgers and their NDLS opponent, the Philadelphia Phillies are concerned. They met once in Philadephia VERY early in the season. And then again in Los Angeles VERY late in season. Not sure what either of these two series will tell us about the upcoming NLDS, but let’s take a look at what has happened so far this season, and see if there’s anything that can be learned from the outcome.
Game 1, April 4: Dodgers 2, Phillies 3
After an 8-0 start, this game was the first loss that the Dodgers suffered in 2025. It was a pitchers’ duel between Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Jesus Luzardo, both of whom went deep into this game, especially considering how early it was in the season. Yamamoto gave up 1 earned run (on an errant throw to third trying to catch Trea Turner stealing) in six innings of work while Luzardo went seven, holding the Dodgers to just two hits and no runs. This one ended up being decided by the bullpens. Kirby Yates took over for Yamamoto in the seventh and gave up two runs, on a single through a drawn-in infield and an RBI groundout. They Dodgers made a game of it late with a two-run homer by Tommy Edman, but in the end it was their first loss of the season.
Game 2, April 5: Dodgers 3, Phillies 1
This was the second start stateside for Roki Sasaki, who had a very rough go of it in his first start in Los Angeles (he’d also started a game in Tokyo). And Sasaki delivered a solid 4.2 innings of work. He gave up a run in the first after an RBI groundout, but was helped by an outfield double play turned by Teoscar Hernandez snagging the runner at first before a run could tag up from third. Offensively, the Dodgers didn’t get much, but a two-run jack from Kike Hernandez and a solo shot from Michael Conforto was enough to carry the day. In relief, Anthony Banda, Ben Casparius, Alex Vesia, and Tanner Scott brought home the win with 4.1 innings of scoreless ball.
Game 3, April 6: Dodgers 7, Phillies 8
After two low-scoring affairs, the final game in Philadelphia was a bit of a slugfest on a wet and sloppy spring day. Tyler Glasnow couldn’t get comfortable on the mound and he got roughed up pretty badly, only lasting into the third and giving up five earned runs. However, the Dodgers were able to claw their way back in and take a lead, thanks mostly to a five-RBI day from Teoscar Hernandez. But after Will Smith delivered a go-ahead double, the Phillies managed to surge ahead off, you guessed it, the Dodgers’ bullpen. This time it was Blake Treinen who gave up the lead when the Dodgers couldn’t turn a potentially innning-ending double play.
Game 4, Sept. 15: Dodgers 5, Phillies 6 (10)
The LA portion of the series began with the Dodgers still trying to find their way after that disastrous road trip to Pittsburgh and Baltimore in early September. This one turned out to be one of the more exciting games of the year, with each team trading body blows all the way through the game. Anthony Banda was the opener and gave up a home run to Kyle Schwarber, but the Dodgers retook the lead when Max Muncy went yard in the fifth. But, Jack Dreyer gave up a couple of runs in the 7th, and the Dodgers were down a run going into the bottom of the frame. Mookie Betts responded with a game-tying home run, which was quickly erased in the top of the eighth when Bryce Harper went yard to put the Phillies on top again. However, Andy Pages tied the game with a jack of his own off flamethrowing Johan Duran in the bottom of the ninth. But all these comebacks were in vain. The Phillies scored on a sac fly in the tenth and the Dodgers left the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning to end the game. Ugh.
Game 5, September 16: Dodgers 6, Phillies 9
If the Yamamoto near no-hitter was the most frustrating game of the season, this one was probably a close second. Shohei Ohtani got the start, and through five brilliant hitless innings, only for everything to fall apart the second he left the mound. It was a horrific six-run sixth that did the Dodgers in this time. Justin Wrobleski came in to start off the inning, but by the time the bloodbath was over, it was 6-4 Phillies. Even so, the Dodgers got a late home run from Shohei Ohtani (remember him, the guy who threw five no-hit innings) and scratched across one more to tie it up in the eighth. But once again, all the hard work was undone in the ninth when Blake Treinen gave up a go-ahead, three-run homer to light hitting Rafael Marchan, one of only two homers for Marchan on the season. It was not a fun night.
Game 6, September 17: Dodgers 5, Phillies 0
Finally, a win! This one was basically an act of will on the part of Blake Snell, who pitched his rear end off for seven innings. This was the game, if you will recall, that Snell walked a couple of guys in the seventh, prompting a mound visit from Dave Roberts. Alex Vesia was halfway across the outfield grass when he had to do a 180 and head back to the bullpen. Snell was NOT leaving this game. And after the previous few nights, could you blame him? Offensively, the Dodgers got a homer from Freddie Freemanand Shohei Ohtani to give the Dodgers all the offense they needed in this one, and for once the eighth and ninth innings were scoreless. Whew!
Conclusion
As if it wasn’t obvious already, what is the throughline in all the Dodger losses to Philadelphia this year? Bullpen, bullpen, bullpen. The Dodgers showed they can put up runs against Phillies’ starters (and no Zack Wheeler will be a big help in that regard). However, every time the Dodgers lost a game in this one, it came down to a leaky bullpen. And nothing much we saw this week has calmed my nerves on that front. But the recipe is clear: the Dodgers can outhit these guys. They just need to hold onto leads once they get them.
Help us, Roki Sasaki, you’re our only hope!
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