NLDS Preview: The Dodgers Turn to Glasnow to Close Out NLDS

LOS ANGELES, CA—Well, yesterday wasn’t fun as the Los Angeles Dodgers dropped Game Three of the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies despite having their season ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound.

Now, the Dodgers are facing a Phillies team who are still on the brink of elimination but has a bit of momentum after dropping eight runs on the Dodgers’ pitching staff last night.

Despite the offensive outburst by the Phillies, the Dodgers are up 2-1 in the best-of-five series and will turn to right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who is making his second appearance of the postseason and first start.

Glasnow was absent all of last October, and he’ll be tasked with snuffing this Phillies team, which hopes to force a Game Five back at Citizens Bank Park.

But all the pressure will be on the Dodgers’ offense to solve left-hander Cristopher Sánchez, who dominated the team in Game One of the series on Saturday.

Pitching Probables

Tyler Glasnow (4-3, 3.19 ERA) vs Cristopher Sánchez (LHP) (13-5, 2.50 ERA)

It’ll be up to right-hander Tyler Glasnow to close out the NLDS and present a winner-take-all Game Five in Philadelphia.

Glasnow has had plenty of postseason opportunities throughout his career with the Tampa Bay Rays, but has had mixed results.

Overall, the right-hander has a 2-6 record with a 5.51 ERA and 63 strikeouts in eleven appearances throughout his career, but that narrative can change with one good start today.

Similarly, Glasnow has struggled against the Phillies throughout his career, posting an ERA above seven in five appearances, including this season, where the right-hander allowed five runs in just two innings back in April.

Since August 1st, Glasnow has been an anchor in the Dodgers’ rotation, posting a 3-2 record with a 3.04 ERA in nine starts since then.

On the mound for the Phillies is dominant left-handed starter Cristopher Sánchez, who had the entire Dodgers lineup in a funk on Saturday but was still unable to complete six full innings after a two-out RBI single by Kiké Hernández, which was the start of the Dodgers’ comeback in Game One.

Still, it’ll be a challenging task for the Dodgers’ offense as they hope to get to Cristopher Sánchez early and avoid the possibility of a Game Five

Who to Watch

I think the player to watch for the Dodgers is Tyler Glasnow, as he’ll be setting the tone for Los Angeles in Game Four, hoping to snuff the Phillies’ offense and prevent this series from going another day.

With the shadows likely to impact today’s game, if Glasnow can get a lead and settle in, I’d have the most faith in him ending this series today, but Glasnow is also a wild card in the sense that his emotions and command can get the better of him if he’s not on his game.

A player to watch for the Phillies is Bryce Harper, who had a good Game Three and has a .400 batting average against Glasnow in his career.

Where to Watch

The 2025 National League Division Series will be aired exclusively on TBS, truTV, and HBO Max at 3:08 PM PT (6:08 PM ET)

Betting Odds

The Phillies aim to push the series to a Game 5 as they currently trail 2-1. Bookmakers have listed the Dodgers as -126 favorites on the moneyline, with the Phillies (+106) as the underdog. Los Angeles is also favored on the run line at -1.5. The game features a set over/under of 7.5 runs.

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