The Philadelphia Phillies lost a heartbreaker in Game 1 of the NLDS to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Two-out spots couldn't be closed out, and the stars didn't hit for the Phillies. Now down 0-1, the Phillies are in a virtually must-win situation before heading to LA.
The Pitching Matchup
Blake Snell takes the mound for the Dodgers in Game 2. Just a few weeks ago, Snell shut the Phillies down for seven innings in LA. The Phillies have faced Snell in the playoffs previously. In Game 2 of the 2022 NLCS, Snell threw five innings, allowing four earned runs on five hits and a walk.
Some familiar names that contributed to that offense will be in the lineup on Monday night. Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos, Alec Bohm, and Edmundo Sosa all singled in the second inning of that game.
Jesús Luzardo gets the ball for the Phillies. The southpaw is looking for his first postseason game of 5+ innings pitched. His teams have gone 1-3 in games he starts in the postseason. All those starts came before Luzardo used his signature sweeper. Opponents have hit just .178 against the pitch with a .264 slugging percentage. It's become the pitch Luzardo uses the 2nd-most often.
Luzardo has seen the Dodgers twice in 2025. In both starts, Luzardo went seven innings. In Philadelphia, those were seven shutout innings with eight strikeouts. In LA, he pitched into the 8th but allowed four earned runs. Ironically, it was Snell facing off against him in those aforementioned seven shutout innings.
Harrison Bader
In Game 1 of the NLDS, Harrison Bader was lifted from the game in the 7th inning for pinch-hitter Nick Castellanos. Facing a right-handed pitcher, everyone was confused and wondered why the move. After the game, news dropped that Bader had groin tightness.
He got imaging, and there was no tear or strain. Before the game, Manager Rob Thomson announced that Harrison Bader would not start in center field for game 2, but would be available to pinch hit. "The only thing that is hindering Bader right now is just being able to run 100%," said Thomson. He said the centerfielder is running at "75-80%".
If Bader pinch-hits for lefty Brandon Marsh, Thomson mentioned that Max Kepler could play in centerfield.
Dodgers pregame
Dodgers' Manager Dave Roberts revealed before Game 2 that a couple of things could look similar to Game 1 of the series.
Ben Rortvedt will start the game over star catcher Will Smith. In Game 1, Smith pinch-hit for Rortvedt in the fifth inning and continued to catch the remainder of the game. Smith will again pinch-hit for Rortved in Game 2 and possibly early in the game. Roberts mentioned that they're doing this to build up Smith from his injury.
On the pitching side, the Dodgers deployed starter Tyler Glasnow out of the bullpen for 1.2 IP. Roberts mentioned that both Clayton Kershaw and Emmet Sheehan could be used in a similar role.
Other notes
Outside of his last start, Blake Snell has never thrown a quality start against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Phillies have never won a postseason series in which they lost the first game (0-8). The only other team in baseball that's winless is the Colorado Rockies (0-4).
If the Dodgers choose to use Blake Treinen out of the bullpen, he's posted a career 4.96 ERA in 16.1 IP in Citizens Bank Park. In 2025, he's faced the Phillies on three separate occasions. In every one, he allowed at least one run (6 runs, 5 earned).
Before the game, closer Jhoan Duran said he was "100%" ready to pitch multiple innings in the NLDS if needed.
