Dodgers ride a big NL wild-card win into the NLDS, opening with Shohei Ohtani on the hill against Cristopher Sánchez at Citizens Bank Park. Ohtani’s two-way dominance sets the tone as Los Angeles leans on a tweaked lineup and depth to outlast Philadelphia’s ace in a pivotal road start.

Lineup shuffles put Tommy Edman at second, Kiké Hernández at third, Alex Call in left, Andy Pages in center, and Ben Rortvedt catching, with Will Smith on the roster but not yet cleared. The bench—Dalton Rushing, Hyeseong Kim, James Dean—gives Roberts options as the series unfolds.

Reds were swept in the wild-card, turning attention to a tougher test against the Phillies. The Ohtani-Sánchez duel, top-heavy Dodgers offense, and backups ready to contribute shape a high-leverage NLDS that could hinge on Game 1’s early momentum.

Kershaw closed out his 18-year regular season with 5 1/3 scoreless innings, guiding the Dodgers to a 6-1 win in Seattle and earning a standing ovation as he left. He piled up seven Ks, reaching 3,052 in his career. Hyeseong Kim slugged a two-run homer and Freddie Freeman added a two-run shot, while Shohei Ohtani capped the assault with a franchise-record 55th homer and a third 100-RBI season. Cal Raleigh supplied Seattle’s highlight with a 60th homer and 125 RBIs. Up next, Dodgers host Cincinnati in the NL Wild Card; Mariners face the Tigers/Guardians winner in the ALDS.

Tanner Scott’s ninth-inning collapse vs Arizona highlighted the Dodgers’ looming bullpen headaches as playoff pressure mounts. Shohei Ohtani answered with six shutout innings, boosting his playoff-rotation prospects and underscoring his value as a two-way asset. Hyeseong Kim returned from the IL but has faced left-handed-hitting challenges, forcing Los Angeles to balance leverage, rest, and depth as the season narrows.

The Dodgers must tighten late-inning execution, decide how to deploy Kim, and keep Ohtani’s arm fresh for October, all while navigating a tight race with Arizona and carving a clear path to the postseason rotation.