Confident Dodgers continue title defense against 'hungrier' Phillies in NLDS

The Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers have enjoyed plenty of success in recent seasons, but they have not met in the playoffs in 16 years. That all changes Saturday when the Phillies host Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. The defending World Series champion Dodgers are coming off a two-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds in the NL wild-card series. They received two homers apiece from Ohtani and Teoscar Hernandez on Tuesday in a 10-5 victory and then rode a big day from Mookie Betts (4-for-5, three RBIs) to an 8-4 triumph on Wednesday. The Dodgers' starting pitchers made their contributions. Blake Snell yielded two runs in seven innings in the series opener before Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed two unearned runs and struck out nine in 6 2/3 innings in Game 2. The combination of offense and pitching — and postseason experience up and down the roster — has Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts believing his team can repeat as champions. "I think we can win it all. I think we're equipped to do that," Roberts said. "We certainly have the pedigree. We certainly have the hunger. We're playing great baseball. And in all honesty, I don't care who we play. I just want to be the last team standing." While the Dodgers are seeking their third World Series title since 2020, the Phillies are looking for their first title since 2008. Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and company helped the team reach the World Series in 2022, but Philadelphia lost in six games to the Houston Astros. They were eliminated in the NLCS in 2023 and the NLDS in 2024. "Since 2022 when we got knocked out in the World Series, I truly believe there's a little more motivation every year," Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. "They know we've missed some opportunities. It's tough to get in the playoffs, tough to go all the way, but every year they get a little hungrier to get it done." The NL East champions will give the ball to Cristopher Sanchez (13-5, 2.50 ERA) in the series opener. He did not give up a run over 12 2/3 innings in his past two starts and finished the month of September with a 1.65 ERA and 2-0 record in five starts. "He saved us big time," shortstop Trea Turner said of Sanchez, who has stepped up with Zack Wheeler (shoulder) out for the season. Sanchez's worst start last month came in Los Angeles on Sept. 16, when the Dodgers reached him for four runs over seven innings of a 9-6 win. He also gave up four runs in his first start against Los Angeles this season in a 5 2/3-inning stint on April 6 which turned out as an 8-7 win. He didn't record a decision in either of those games, and in four career starts against Los Angeles, Sanchez is 2-0 with a 4.01 ERA. The NL West champion Dodgers will give the ball to Ohtani (1-1, 2.87), who did not give up a run in 14 2/3 innings in September. In his only career appearance against Philadelphia, the right-hander pitched five no-hit innings opposite Sanchez on Sept. 16 but didn't figure into the decision. "That was probably his best start of the year. He was phenomenal," Thomson said of Ohtani, who will be making his first career postseason appearance on the mound Saturday. The Phillies won four of six meetings with the Dodgers this season and have won 10 of the past 13 matchups between the teams. Philadelphia also has defeated Los Angeles in the past two postseason series between the teams — the 2008 NLCS and the 2009 NLCS — winning each in five games. –Field Level Media

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