In an emphatic display of postseason timing and mental fortitude, the Los Angeles Dodgers eliminated the Philadelphia Phillies in four games to claim the 2025 National League Division Series (NLDS), 3-1. What looked to be a high-stakes chess match between two deep, talented rosters instead became a showcase of clutch bullpen work, opportunistic hitting, and one fateful error that ultimately decided the series.
From the beginning of the series, the Dodgers’ starting pitching staff took complete control. In Game 2, Blake Snell turned in a masterpiece: six shutout innings, one hit allowed, and tallied nine strikeouts. The gem was paired with timely offense: a four-run seventh inning, built on a two-run single by Will Smith and support from Teoscar Hernández and Shohei Ohtani, to deliver a 4-3 win and a 2-0 series lead.
Game 4, the pivot game, was an instant all-time classic. Starter Tyler Glasnow was superb through six scoreless innings for LA. Glasnow completed six scoreless innings with just two hits allowed, while the bullpen, led by Roki Sasaki, allowed just one run to Philadelphia’s offense over the next three innings.
Phillies pitcher Christopher Sanchez had a great game himself, getting through six and one-third innings with only one run allowed. Philly’s bullpen completely shut down the Dodgers’ offense. The result: 1-1 game heading into extras.
In the 11th inning came a collapse from Philadelphia: reliever Orion Kerkering, with the bases loaded and two outs, misplayed a comebacker from Andy Pages and threw wildly past home plate while a play at first was available and would have ended the inning unscathed. That error allowed pinch-runner Hyeseong Kim to score the walk-off run, ending the Phillies’ season in dramatic fashion.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts summed it up best when speaking to the media after the game.
“It was a war. It was a battle,” said Roberts. “Instant classic.”
Roberts complemented his players’ nerve, acknowledging the stakes and the fine margin that decided the outcome.
Meanwhile, Phillies skipper Rob Thomson expressed public empathy toward Kerkering, emphasizing how grueling and compressed playoff decisions can be.
From an offensive standpoint, the Phillies’ star-studded offense never found its footing. In Game 4, they managed only four hits. That drought mirrored a broader pattern: Philadelphia struggled to manufacture offense in clutch moments, an issue that’s plagued them in recent postseason appearances.
In contrast, the Dodgers didn’t need sustained offensive dominance; they only needed to score runs at the right time. In Game 1, they stormed back from an early deficit behind a long ball from Teoscar Hernandez. In Game 2, they waited until the seventh inning to break through. In Game 4, they didn’t get a hit after the seventh, but still won, thanks to the pressure that turned one mistake into a fatal blow.
Throughout the NLDS, the Dodgers, with veterans across the roster, appeared more comfortable navigating chaos. Their roster had been battle-tested all season long, and those collective experiences paid off.
There is also a lot of credit to be given to the Dodgers for how the team managed the bullpen. Sasaki’s shutout relief appearance over three innings in Game 4 reassured the stability of the pen. That reliability under pressure is what separates a championship contender from other teams.
With the series in hand, the Dodgers will now face the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series (NLCS). Though Milwaukee swept them in the regular season (6-0), the momentum and postseason resilience the Dodgers demonstrated against Philadelphia give them the best odds to advance even further in their October run.
For Philadelphia, the loss underscores systemic issues the team will have to face: a roster tilted toward aging stars, fewer controllable contracts, and a core that’s repeatedly stalled in October.
The Dodgers have shown a proven formula: pitch well, defend well, and make the opponent pay for a mistake. In 2025, that formula carried them past the Phillies and heightened their chances for a repeat championship.
Although the Phillies, for the most part, got the expected results from their starters and relievers, baseball is an unforgiving sport, and one error cost them everything.
The Dodgers seized the chaos of October baseball, refusing to fold under late pressure, and capitalized when the stakes were highest.
The Phillies were a powerhouse during the 2025 regular season, claiming a higher seed than LA. However, the Dodgers are still playing in October, and that’s all that matters.
