The highly anticipated best-of-five Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies is set to kick off on Saturday. The Dodgers, fresh off a two-game sweep over the Cincinnati Reds in the Wild Card Series, will face a formidable opponent in the Phillies, who secured a first-round bye thanks to having the second-best record in the National League.
As the postseason progresses, both teams are the frontrunners for World Series title odds, with the Dodgers listed at +420 and the Phillies at +500 on FanDuel. The winner of this series will advance to the National League Championship Series (NLCS) for a chance at the pennant.
Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday, October 4, and will begin at either 6:08 or 6:38 p.m. ET at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Fans can catch the action on TBS or via live stream on HBO Max. The starting pitchers for the opening game will be Shohei Ohtani for the Dodgers and Cristopher Sánchez for the Phillies. The odds currently have the Phillies favored at -126, with the Dodgers at +108, and an over/under of 7 runs.
A significant storyline for the Dodgers is that Ohtani will be making his postseason pitching debut; he did not have a chance to play in the playoffs during his tenure with the Angels. After a successful recovery from elbow surgery and a gradual increase in his pitch count, Ohtani last pitched five no-hit innings against the Phillies in his penultimate regular season game, striking out five batters.
On the other side, the Phillies will be without their ace, Zack Wheeler, who underwent thoracic outlet decompression surgery. In his place, Cristopher Sánchez will take the mound. He has had a strong regular season and faced the Dodgers previously, allowing four runs in a seven-inning outing.
According to FanDuel, the series odds are tightly contested, with the Dodgers at -112 and the Phillies at -104. This matchup promises to be one of the most compelling Division Series in recent memory, showcasing nearly 200 regular season wins between the two clubs. Many fans are eager for a thrilling contest, with predictions leaning toward the Dodgers for a potential five-game showdown. With both teams at the top of their game, the excitement is palpable as they vie for a place in the NLCS.