Dodgers and Phillies meet in heavyweight NLDS showdown
USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale breaks down the NLDS series between the red-hot Dodgers and NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies.
Sports Pulse
Let the rest or rust debate begin.
As Major League Baseball’s wild-card round reaches its final day, the postseason bracket reintroduces four teams that haven’t played meaningful baseball since their regular-season finale on Sunday, Sept. 28.
The top two seeds in both leagues – the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners in the American, and the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies in the National – earned byes for the wild-card round. Since the 12-team playoff format was adopted in 2022, six of the 12 teams with byes have moved on to the league championship series. Three of the four teams with byes in 2024 won their division series matchups (Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians), with the Phillies the only squad to falter.
Here’s a look at the updated 2025 postseason bracket:
MLB playoff bracketAmerican LeagueByes: Blue Jays, MarinersAL Wild Card SeriesTigers at Guardians – Series tied 1-1Red Sox at Yankees – Series tied 1-1AL Division SeriesBlue Jays vs. Yankees/Red Sox – Series starts in Toronto on Saturday, Oct. 4Mariners vs. Guardians/Tigers – Series starts in Seattle on Saturday, Oct. 4National LeagueByes: Brewers, PhilliesNL Wild Card SeriesReds at Dodgers – Los Angeles wins series 2-0Padres at Cubs – Series tied 1-1NL Division SeriesBrewers vs. Cubs/Padres – Series starts in Milwaukee on Saturday, Oct. 4Phillies vs. Dodgers – Series starts in Philadelphia on Saturday, Oct. 4Upcoming MLB playoff schedule
The AL and NL division series begin on Saturday, Oct. 4.
The AL Championship Series begins on Sunday, Oct. 12, with the NL Championship Series starting on Monday, Oct. 13.
The 2025 World Series opens on Friday, Oct. 24.