The Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers will open the National League Division Series on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park, with Cristopher Sánchez facing Shohei Ohtani in a marquee Game 1 pitching matchup. First pitch is set for some time after 6:00 PM.
The Dodgers arrive in Philadelphia riding momentum after a dominant Wild Card sweep of the Cincinnati Reds. Los Angeles outscored the Reds 18-9 in two games, with Ohtani leading the way at the plate before now shifting to the mound for his first career postseason start.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, earned home-field advantage through the first round with a 96-win regular season and enters the NLDS looking to build on a strong late-season push. The Phillies bested the Dodgers four-games to two in their 2025 season series.
It marks the first playoff meeting between the two franchises since the 2009 NLCS, when the Phillies defeated Los Angeles in five games to reach the World Series. This time, the stakes are equally high, as both clubs enter the matchup as odds on favorites to win the World Series.
2025 Phillies vs. Dodgers Breakdown
Apr 4: PHI def. LAD, 3-2
Apr 5: LAD def. PHI, 3-1
Apr 6: PHI def. LAD, 8-7
Sept 15: PHI def. LAD, 6-5
Sept 16: PHI def. LAD, 9-6
Sept 17: LAD def. PHI, 5-0