The 2025 National League Division Series is finally here with two powerhouses colliding: the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies. Both clubs bring elite talent, postseason experience, and high expectations into this October clash. From star-studded lineups to intriguing pitching matchups, this series has the potential to be one of the most exciting in recent memory.

How they Got Here

Philadelphia Phillies- The Philadelphia Phillies locked in a 96–66 regular season record, good enough to win the NL East and punch their ticket to the NLDS with a bye. The Phillies consistency all season long—balancing a potent offense with improved pitching depth—put them in control of the division much of the way. In mid-September, the Phillies formally clinched the division in dramatic fashion with a 10th-inning win over the Dodgers, sealing a second straight NL East crown.

Offensively, the Phillies leaned heavily on middle-order power. Kyle Schwarber led the club with 56 home runs and 132 RBIs, while Trea Turner captured the National League batting title at .304 and remained a steady table-setter atop the lineup when healthy. Complementing the offense was a pitching staff bolstered by Cristopher Sánchez (2.49 ERA) and Jesus Luzardo (216 strikeouts), plus a bullpen anchored by Jhoan Duran in the late innings.  

While fans might not have noticed at the time, the Phillies forged their postseason berth via a dominant run within their division, a lineup loaded with both consistency and power, and meaningful gains in pitching reliability especially at the back end of the bullpen.

Los Angeles Dodgers- The Los Angeles Dodgers finished the regular season with a 93–69 record, good enough to claim the NL West crown. Their strong performance in a competitive NL West locked in home‐field advantage in the National League Wild Card round.

They didn’t have a bye, though—they had to battle through the Wild Card round, matching up against the Cincinnati Reds. Los Angeles swept the Reds 2–0 in that series to punch their ticket to the NLDS. In that matchup, the Dodgers leaned on their deep rotation and thunderous bats to close out the series in short order.

Offensively and on the mound, the Dodgers showed balance. Their batting order — bolstered by stars like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Teoscar Hernandez. — offered power, on-base ability, and timely hits. Meanwhile, their pitching staff — including the much maligned bullpen — held up in high-leverage moments, giving them enough margin to win in October. The sweep of the Red allows the Dodgers to hold back on using Ohtani as a starter until the Game 1.

2025 National League Division Series at a Glance

• Game 1: Saturday, October 4 | 6:38 PM | at Citizens Bank Park
• Game 2: Monday, October 6 | 6:08 PM | at Citizens Bank Park
• Game 3: Wednesday, October 8 | TBD | at Dodger Stadium
• Game 4: Thursday, October 9 | TBD | at Dodger Stadium*
• Game 5: Saturday, October 11 | TBD | at Citizens Bank Park*

2025 NLDS Pitching Matchups

• Game 1: LAD Shohei Ohtani vs. PHI Cristopher Sanchez
• Game 2-5: To Be Determined

The only starting matchup confirmed for the NLDS is Game 1 between Ohtani and Sanchez.

Dodgers vs. Phillies: 2025 Head-to-Head

The Phillies took the 2025 regular season series 4-2 including an impressive September series win in Los Angeles.

• April 4 @ Philadelphia: PHI 3-2
• April 5 @ Philadelphia: LAD 3-1
• April 6 @ Philadelphia: PHI 8-7
• September 15 @ Los Angeles: PHI 6-5 (10 innings)
• September 16 @ Los Angeles: PHI 9-6
• September 17 @ Los Angeles: LAD 5-0

Dodgers vs. Phillies: Keep an Eye On

• Cristopher Sánchez’s emergence – He’s been the Phillies’ most consistent starter all season. Can he keep it up against L.A.’s loaded lineup?
• October Bryce Harper – Harper has delivered big postseason moments before. Like J-Roll before him, Harper is the ultimate “red light” player
• Trea Turner’s speed and bat – The NL batting champ can change games with both contact and base-running. How healthy is he coming off a late-season hamstring issue?
• Bullpen trust factor – Jhoan Duran closing games adds firepower, but matchups in the 7th–8th innings will be critical. Who will Rob Thomson trust in the high-leverage situations?
• Power bats in big spots – Kyle Schwarber’s home run swing is tailor-made for October. One swing can flip a game.
• Outfield rotation – The trio of Brandon Marsh, Harrison Bader, and Max Keller quietly gave the Phillies an edge down the stretch. Can they keep it up in October?
• Must Wake Up Bats!– The Phillies bats went cold last October, can they heat up this year? Middle-to-bottom of the order guys like Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, and JT Realmuto may need to come up BIG.
• Shohei Ohtani’s playoff debut as a pitcher – Perhaps the biggest storyline of the series. How will he handle the pressure?
• Dodgers bullpen chess match – How Dave Roberts handles his late-inning relievers could decide close games. The Phillies torched the Dodgers’ ‘pen in their last matchup in September.
• Max Muncy’s power against lefties – Phillies will throw Sánchez and possibly Ranger Suárez; Muncy’s bat may be an X-factor.
• Road challenges – Winning at Citizens Bank Park has been tough for opponents. L.A. must steal at least one game there or it might be all she wrote.
• Citizens Bank Park atmosphere – Few postseason crowds match Philly’s intensity. That energy often fuels the lineup.

Other Things to Know About the 2025 NLDS

2025 NLDS TV and Radio

All games of the 2025 NLDS between the Dodgers and Phillies will be televised by Turner Sports on TBS, HBO Max, and TruTV. The trio of Brian Anderson (PxP), Jeff Francoeur (analyst), and Lauren Shehadi (reporter) will be on the call.

Locally, all Phillies postseason games** will be broadcast on SportsRadio 94 WIP with Scott Franzke (main PxP), Larry Andersen (home games analyst), Kevin Stocker (road games analyst), and Tom McCarthy (4th and 5th inning PxP) on the call,

*- if necessary

**- Game 4 may be bumped to 1210-AM due to Philadelphia Eagles football

Series Odds

According to ESPN Bet, the Los Angeles Dodgers are slight favorites over the Philadelphia Phillies to win the 2025 NLDS and advance to the 2025 National League Championship Series.

• Phillies: -105
• Dodgers: -115