The Phillies had Shohei Ohtani on the ropes on the mound and tied up at the plate, the Dodgers’ two-way star seemingly losing the air of invincibility that surrounds him.
Ohtani the ace recovered, and he did it one swing-and-a-miss at a time against a string of All-Stars in the Phillies’ lineup.
Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper all disappeared in the playoffs again in Game 1 of the NL Division Series, a combined 1-for-11 effort with six strikeouts and no RBIs in the 5-3 loss.
Game 2 is Monday at Citizens Bank Park, you know, that boisterous ballpark known for its so-called four hours of hell that is supposed to rattle the nerves of even the most steeled players.
“I don’t sense any extra pressure,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Sunday.
Heck, even a three-time MVP such as Ohtani — who struck out four times Saturday night — acknowledged ahead of the game that he was a bit anxious to face the fans.
Here’s the headache for the Phillies: They have wasted home-field advantage with four losses in their last five postseason home games. So they enter Game 2 with cold bats, have lost that extra oomph that 45,000 fans usually provide and have to try to regain their playoff mojo against the reigning World Series champions and two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell.
ADVERTISEMENT
Could it be the Phillies are feeling the postseason pressure to impress at home?
“I don’t think so. I don’t feel that,” Thomson said. “Our crowds have been outstanding. It was really loud and boisterous and rabid last night, just like our normal playoff fans are.”
‘Now the pressure is on the Phillies’ — Derek Jeter after the Dodgers take Game 1
He might not sense it, but the fan base does, especially with little room for error — or Matt Strahm meatballs — in the best-of-five series.
“We just didn’t get the big hit when we needed it. We had some chances,” Thomson said. “It’s the way it is. I think it’s just the ebbs and flows of the game, and we’ve got to come out here tomorrow night and play well.”
Ohtani retired 15 of the final 17 batters he faced, and Turner, Schwarber and Harper went 0 for 9 with five strikeouts against the right-hander.
From two-way sensation to two-time Cy Young postseason standout, the series won’t necessarily get easier for the Phillies.
Blake Snell is ready to take the mound for Game 2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) <!–>
–>
Snell, who missed four months of his first season in Los Angeles with shoulder inflammation, struck out a season-high 12 over seven innings in a September start against the Phillies.
Snell got the ball last week in the Wild Card Series opener and struck out nine over seven strong innings. He retired his initial eight batters in his first playoff start since 2022, when he was with the San Diego Padres. Snell matched his postseason high for strikeouts in the longest postseason start of his career.
He is 5-3 with a 3.23 ERA in 13 career playoff appearances (11 starts).
“I feel good with Snell going tomorrow,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Here’s some more good news for the Dodgers, already the betting favorite to win the game and series, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
Harper is 1 for 11 with a home run and two RBIs lifetime against Snell. Schwarber, the NL home run and RBI champion, is 2 for 12 with a homer and three RBIs, and Turner is a moderately better 4 for 17 with three RBIs in 20 plate appearances vs. Snell.
“Just like everything else, we’re going to be attacking it head on and we’re going to be excited to walk into the clubhouse and get back on the field and play another high, meaningful game here,” Schwarber said Saturday night. “That’s what this is about. This is never going to be easy. You’re facing the best of the best out here. It’s up to us to be able to make the adjustments and go out there and feel like we’re doing everything possible to put ourselves in position to win a baseball game.”
Jesus Luzardo (15-7, 3.92 ERA) starts Game 2 for the Phillies.
Bader is feeling better
Phillies outfielder Harrison Bader could play in Game 2 after leaving the opener with a groin injury.
Thomson said Sunday that imaging showed no major tear or strain in Bader’s groin. Thomson said the Phillies would have a better idea on Monday if Bader, who settled center field and morphed into a fan favorite down the stretch, could start or at least be used as a pinch hitter.
“I think after the game they stretched him out, got him moving around a little bit,” Thomson said. “I think he felt a lot better after that.”
Bader made one of the Game 1 plays of the game when he sprinted to his left on Andy Pages’ tying shot in the fifth inning and made the diving grab for the out. Bader, who added a sacrifice fly, said he felt tightness later in the game running the bases.
“This is kind of the point in the season where you just empty the tank,” Bader said after the game.
Should Bader miss Game 2, Nick Castellanos likely would return to the starting lineup in right field, with Brandon Marsh in center field and Max Kepler in right.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
What did you think of this story?
recommended
Get more from the Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
How Aaron Judge positioned himself to save the Yankees’ season — and his postseason legacy — with one swing
NEW YORK — Aaron Judge called time and picked up some dirt, rolling it between his right index finger and thumb.Not for feel. But for sight.Sight of what could be.What it could mean to lift his team -- and himself -- from the ashes, even for one more day. It could be imagined, if not yet believed because could is hope. Would is what's felt.It was the bottom of the fourth inning of Game 3 at Yankee Stadium Tuesday evening. Blue Jays reliever Louis Varland blew a 100 mph middle-middle heater past the Yankees' 6-foot-7 MVP, putting Judge in an 0-2 hole. The warm October night felt like summer. The kind of night that's turned him into the mythical figure his peers and opponents have known him to be.New York was still down by three runs before 47,399 at Yankee […]
USMNT’s versatile striker Haji Wright returns with a point to prove amid prolific scoring season
Few forwards in the world have scored as many goals as Haji Wright for Coventry City this season, as he has the Sky Blues atop the Championship nine games into the campaign. They have an astonishing plus-20 goal difference as Wright has scored eight of their 27 goals this season, leading the goal scorer charts. That form has earned Wright a spot in Mauricio Pochettino's United States men's national team squad to face Ecuador and Australia this month, where he could make his first USMNT appearance since the beginning of the Gold Cup, where he picked up an injury while facing Trinidad & Tobago in June.Wright was on the World Cup squad in 2022 and scored the lone goal for the USMNT in their round of 16 defeat to the Netherlands, and like everyone in Pochettino's team, he wants to […]
Deset gólů za poločas! Čeští mladíci řádili, trhli rekord
Výběr do sedmnácti let totiž od roku 1993, kdy Česko působí samostatně, tak masivním rozdílem žádného soupeře nezničil. Což platí i o ostatních kategoriích. Vyjma U19. Ta v říjnu 2001 v Uherském Hradišti porazila Andorru také 13:0. Čtyřmi góly se tehdy blýskl Tomáš Jun, v tehdejším výběru se objevili (a skórovali) i další pozdější „áčkoví“ reprezentanti Tomáš Sivok s Václavem Svěrkošem.Nynější fotbalisté mužstva do sedmnácti let, kam spadají borci ročníku 2009 a mladší, tehdy ještě ani zdaleka nebyli na na světě. I tak ale počin svých předchůdců zopakovali v rámci první fáze kvalifikace na Euro, která se hraje v Severní Makedonii.13:0 je opravdu unikátní výsledek. Svěřenci trenéra Tomáše Kulvajta navíc hned deset branek nasypali do sítě bezmocného Gibraltaru už v prvním poločase!Hattrickem k tomu přispěl Filip Zahálka, jenž kope za mládež německého Dynama Drážďany. Po dvou gólech zapsali talentovaní borci ze Sparty Viktor Švec s Lewisem Azakou, šikovným křídelníkem s kořeny v Nigérii.Zlí jazykové by mohli namítnout, že šlo „jen“ […]
Copa do Mundo 2026 pode ter 37 seleções classificadas nesta Data FIFA, veja quais
Confronto entre Alemanha e Irlanda do Norte nas Eliminatórias da Copa do Mundo. Foto AlamyA Data Fifa de outubro de 2025 promete ser decisiva. Nos próximos dias, o número de seleções classificadas para a Copa do Mundo de 2026 pode saltar de 18 para 37 equipes confirmadas. Ao longo desta semana, sete vagas na África e duas na Ásia serão preenchidas. Além disso, até oito seleções europeias podem garantir presença no torneio. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADEÁfrica: Cabo Verde, Egito e Gana podem carimbar vaga nesta quarta-feiraA Confederação Africana de Futebol (CAF) definirá seus nove representantes até a próxima terça-feira. Duas seleções já estão garantidas — Tunísia e Marrocos —, e outras três podem confirmar a classificação ainda nesta quarta-feira (8).Egito: confirma vaga se vencer o lanterna Djibuti fora de casa. Um empate também serve, desde que Burkina Faso não vença Serra Leoa […]
Jaguars coach Liam Coen says respect is ‘ours to take’ after first ‘Monday Night Football’ win since 2011
When Patrick Mekari stepped on Trevor Lawrence's foot and Lawrence tumbled to the ground with 30 seconds left Monday night, it looked like it would be the same old Jaguars, the ones done in by their own mistakes.The Jaguars had no timeouts. The clock was running down. Things looked dire. Even Lawrence admitted, lying on the ground at the 7-yard line, that he felt "sheer panic."And then he got up, somehow untouched, scrambled left and dove into the end zone. Jaguars 31, Chiefs 24. It was the type of game this team had lost for years. In fact, this is Jacksonville's first 4-1 start since 2007. Lawrence was 8 years old.But coach Liam Coen isn't worried about the message Jacksonville's first "Monday Night Football" win since 2011 sends to the league. Rather, he's focused in house. "The opportunity to play […]
The Superstar Trade Paradox: Why Bucks should trade Giannis Antetokounmpo
Of all the storylines lingering over the 2025-26 season, perhaps none carry more intrigue than what lies in front of the Milwaukee Bucks: Do they trade Giannis Antetokounmpo or not?By almost all accounts, Antetokounmpo represents one of the three best players in the NBA. He ranks third-best in the Estimated Plus-Minus prediction metric, behind only reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and three-time MVP Nikola Jokić. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSGA plays for the defending champion and title favorite Thunder. Jokić’s Nuggets are close behind them. Antetokounmpo’s team, on the other hand, is … closer to the bottom. His supporting cast is among the worst in the sport. According to Vegas projections, the Bucks’ win estimate sits at 42.5 for the 2025-26 season, a pitiful mark for an Eastern Conference team with an MVP candidate in his prime. It’s the least-confident Vegas forecast for a Giannis-manned squad […]
Related
How Aaron Judge positioned himself to save the Yankees’ season — and his postseason legacy — with one swing
NEW YORK — Aaron Judge called time and picked up some dirt, rolling it between his right index finger and thumb.Not for feel. But for sight.Sight of what could be.What it could mean to lift his team -- and himself -- from the ashes, even for one more day. It could be imagined, if not yet believed because could is hope. Would is what's felt.It was the bottom of the fourth inning of Game 3 at Yankee Stadium Tuesday evening. Blue Jays reliever Louis Varland blew a 100 mph middle-middle heater past the Yankees' 6-foot-7 MVP, putting Judge in an 0-2 hole. The warm October night felt like summer. The kind of night that's turned him into the mythical figure his peers and opponents have known him to be.New York was still down by three runs before 47,399 at Yankee […]
USMNT’s versatile striker Haji Wright returns with a point to prove amid prolific scoring season
Few forwards in the world have scored as many goals as Haji Wright for Coventry City this season, as he has the Sky Blues atop the Championship nine games into the campaign. They have an astonishing plus-20 goal difference as Wright has scored eight of their 27 goals this season, leading the goal scorer charts. That form has earned Wright a spot in Mauricio Pochettino's United States men's national team squad to face Ecuador and Australia this month, where he could make his first USMNT appearance since the beginning of the Gold Cup, where he picked up an injury while facing Trinidad & Tobago in June.Wright was on the World Cup squad in 2022 and scored the lone goal for the USMNT in their round of 16 defeat to the Netherlands, and like everyone in Pochettino's team, he wants to […]
Deset gólů za poločas! Čeští mladíci řádili, trhli rekord
Výběr do sedmnácti let totiž od roku 1993, kdy Česko působí samostatně, tak masivním rozdílem žádného soupeře nezničil. Což platí i o ostatních kategoriích. Vyjma U19. Ta v říjnu 2001 v Uherském Hradišti porazila Andorru také 13:0. Čtyřmi góly se tehdy blýskl Tomáš Jun, v tehdejším výběru se objevili (a skórovali) i další pozdější „áčkoví“ reprezentanti Tomáš Sivok s Václavem Svěrkošem.Nynější fotbalisté mužstva do sedmnácti let, kam spadají borci ročníku 2009 a mladší, tehdy ještě ani zdaleka nebyli na na světě. I tak ale počin svých předchůdců zopakovali v rámci první fáze kvalifikace na Euro, která se hraje v Severní Makedonii.13:0 je opravdu unikátní výsledek. Svěřenci trenéra Tomáše Kulvajta navíc hned deset branek nasypali do sítě bezmocného Gibraltaru už v prvním poločase!Hattrickem k tomu přispěl Filip Zahálka, jenž kope za mládež německého Dynama Drážďany. Po dvou gólech zapsali talentovaní borci ze Sparty Viktor Švec s Lewisem Azakou, šikovným křídelníkem s kořeny v Nigérii.Zlí jazykové by mohli namítnout, že šlo „jen“ […]
Copa do Mundo 2026 pode ter 37 seleções classificadas nesta Data FIFA, veja quais
Confronto entre Alemanha e Irlanda do Norte nas Eliminatórias da Copa do Mundo. Foto AlamyA Data Fifa de outubro de 2025 promete ser decisiva. Nos próximos dias, o número de seleções classificadas para a Copa do Mundo de 2026 pode saltar de 18 para 37 equipes confirmadas. Ao longo desta semana, sete vagas na África e duas na Ásia serão preenchidas. Além disso, até oito seleções europeias podem garantir presença no torneio. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADEÁfrica: Cabo Verde, Egito e Gana podem carimbar vaga nesta quarta-feiraA Confederação Africana de Futebol (CAF) definirá seus nove representantes até a próxima terça-feira. Duas seleções já estão garantidas — Tunísia e Marrocos —, e outras três podem confirmar a classificação ainda nesta quarta-feira (8).Egito: confirma vaga se vencer o lanterna Djibuti fora de casa. Um empate também serve, desde que Burkina Faso não vença Serra Leoa […]
Jaguars coach Liam Coen says respect is ‘ours to take’ after first ‘Monday Night Football’ win since 2011
When Patrick Mekari stepped on Trevor Lawrence's foot and Lawrence tumbled to the ground with 30 seconds left Monday night, it looked like it would be the same old Jaguars, the ones done in by their own mistakes.The Jaguars had no timeouts. The clock was running down. Things looked dire. Even Lawrence admitted, lying on the ground at the 7-yard line, that he felt "sheer panic."And then he got up, somehow untouched, scrambled left and dove into the end zone. Jaguars 31, Chiefs 24. It was the type of game this team had lost for years. In fact, this is Jacksonville's first 4-1 start since 2007. Lawrence was 8 years old.But coach Liam Coen isn't worried about the message Jacksonville's first "Monday Night Football" win since 2011 sends to the league. Rather, he's focused in house. "The opportunity to play […]
The Superstar Trade Paradox: Why Bucks should trade Giannis Antetokounmpo
Of all the storylines lingering over the 2025-26 season, perhaps none carry more intrigue than what lies in front of the Milwaukee Bucks: Do they trade Giannis Antetokounmpo or not?By almost all accounts, Antetokounmpo represents one of the three best players in the NBA. He ranks third-best in the Estimated Plus-Minus prediction metric, behind only reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and three-time MVP Nikola Jokić. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSGA plays for the defending champion and title favorite Thunder. Jokić’s Nuggets are close behind them. Antetokounmpo’s team, on the other hand, is … closer to the bottom. His supporting cast is among the worst in the sport. According to Vegas projections, the Bucks’ win estimate sits at 42.5 for the 2025-26 season, a pitiful mark for an Eastern Conference team with an MVP candidate in his prime. It’s the least-confident Vegas forecast for a Giannis-manned squad […]
Be the first to leave a comment