Dodgers Preview: Phillies and Dodgers Clash in Possible NLDS Preview

LOS ANGELES, CA—For the first time in a long time, the Los Angeles Dodgers have won back-to-back series, a feat that had not been done since June 28th to July 3rd (Royals, White Sox). Now they face arguably their biggest task of September: a three-game series versus the Philadelphia Phillies.

There is much at play for both clubs entering tonight’s matchup. The Phillies, who already secured their postseason spot thanks to the Dodgers’ win over the San Francisco Giants yesterday, are just one win (or Mets loss) away from winning their second straight National League East title.

For the Dodgers, who enter today’s game just 4.5 games behind the Phillies for the number two seed in the National League, this is a perfect opportunity to close the gap and potentially win the season series with a sweep.

The Dodgers’ Magic Number for the National League West is now just ten with thirteen games remaining, which is important as a division win guarantees the Dodgers, at worst, the third seed in the National League postseason bracket.

A lot has changed for both teams since their last meeting in April, where the Phillies gave the then 8-0 The Dodgers suffered their first series loss of the young 2025 season.

After that series, the Phillies have posted the 2nd best record in Major League Baseball, going 89-61, jump-starting their team to the second seed in the NL, and destroying any hopes the New York Mets had at a division win.

However, despite the Dodgers sinking in July and August, they’ve posted the 6th best record in that span, but have failed to capitalize on their September schedule, losing two series to the Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles.

But after a series sweep of the Rockies and the team taking two-of-three in the Bay, the vibes are high coming into Chavez Ravine for the team’s final homestand.

What has carried both of these teams for most of the year has been their pitching, particularly from their starters.

Since August, the Dodgers and Phillies’ starting rotation ranks in the top two in fWAR, FIP, ERA, and Innings Pitched, and the Phillies will be sending what is likely their top three arms for any postseason series in Cristopher Sánchez, Ranger Suárez, and Jesús Luzardo.

For the Dodgers to have any shot at the number two seed with thirteen games remaining, they’ll need nothing short of a sweep to bring them within 1.5 games; if not, the team should prepare for the three-game Wild Card series.

Game One: Emmet Sheehan (6-3, 3.32 ERA) vs Ranger Suárez (LHP) (12-6, 2.77 ERA)

Game Two: Shohei Ohtani (1-1, 3.75 ERA) vs Cristopher Sánchez (LHP) (13-5, 2.57 ERA)

Game Three: Blake Snell (LHP) (4-4, 2.79 ERA) vs Jesús Luzardo (LHP) (14-6, 4.03 ERA)

Game Times

Game One: 7:10 PM PT, SportsNet LA, NBC Philadelphia, MLB Network (out-of-market-only)

Game Two: 7:10 PM PT, SportsNet LA, NBC Philadelphia, TBS

Game Three: 7:10 PM PT, SportsNet LA, NBC Philadelphia, MLB Network (out-of-market-only)

Who’s in & Who’s Out?

Things are trending in the right direction for the Dodgers on the injury side of things.

On the pitching side, nearly all the arms they’ve needed this season are back and seem healthier than ever, such as Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Clayton Kershaw, and Shohei Ohtani.

One name that could rejoin the team in the final two weeks of the season is 23-year-old right-hander Roki Sasaki, who will make one more start with the Triple-A OKC Comets to complete his rehab.

Sasaki tossed his best start last week, where the righty threw five innings, striking out eight batters but struggling with walks and command in the fifth inning.

Right-handed relief pitcher Brock Stewart is expected to join the Comets this week and throw one minor league rehab appearance before rejoining the Dodgers bullpen. Stewart has been on the injured list with right shoulder discomfort.

After days of debating, the Dodgers finally placed All-Star catcher Will Smith on the injured list due to a right-hand bone bruise. The IL placement was backdated to September 10th, meaning the earliest possible return is on the 20th.

Also on the injured list is rookie catcher Dalton Rushing, but the switch-hitter kicked off a rehab assignment after fouling a ball off his right shin in Baltimore last weekend. Rushing is eligible to be activated on Tuesday.

Veteran third baseman Max Muncy is also considered day-to-day after getting hit on the right hand on Friday and getting hit in the head on Saturday.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said it was a scheduled day off for Muncy on Sunday, with the left-hander Robbie Ray on the mound, but he is expected to play two of three games in the Phillies series.

Day-to-day (1): Max Muncy

10-day Injured List (2): Dalton Rushing, Will Smith

15-day Injured List (1): Brock Stewart

60-day Injured List (8): Roki Sasaki, Tony Gonsolin, Brusdar Graterol, Michael Grove, Gavin Stone, River Ryan, Kyle Hurt, Evan Phillips

As we enter the final stretch of the regular season, the Phillies have lost plenty of key players since the start of September.

The most significant blow was the announcement of Zack Wheeler’s season-ending thrombolysis procedure August 18th to remove a blood clot in his upper right extremity.

However, Wheeler was also diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome and will undergo suSeptember 23rdmber 23rd in St. Louis. Recovery time post-surgery is generally 6-8 months, meaning he’ll miss the entire postseason run and the start of next season.

Most recently, the Phillies also placed 2024 National League All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm on the 10-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation and shortstop Trea Turner with a Grade One hamstring strain.

Bohm has begun to swing off a hitting tee and soft toss and should return to the Phillies lineup after the minimum ten days.

Turner, the current National League batting average leader, is expected to miss the next several weeks with his hamstring injury, but could rejoin the team in the final week of the season.

The veteran speedster did start to hit off a tee and is “ahead of schedule,” per Phillies Rob Thomson.

The Phillies also shut down left-handed pitcher José Alvarado due to a left forearm strain, and he’ll miss the remainder of the season as he was already deemed postseason ineligible after receiving a PED suspension earlier this season.

Also missing from the Phillies bullpen is right-handed pitcher Jordan Romano, who was placed on the 15-day injured list due to right middle finger inflammation and neck stiffness.

The right-hander did not throw his planned bullpen session on September 13th, and Thomson did not rule out Romano being out for the rest of the season.

Trea Turner’s replacement, Edmundo Sosa, is also considered day-to-day after feeling some tightness in his right groin. The team hopes he’ll be ready for tonight’s series versus Los Angeles, but if he’s not ready by then, the team could consider placing Sosa on the IL.

Day-to-day (1): Edmundo Sosa

10-day Injured List (2): Trea Turner, Alec Bohm

15-day Injured List (2): Jordan Romano, José Alvarado

60-day Injured List (2): Daniel Robert, Zack Wheeler

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