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.

Value over ADP defined the breakout 2025 season across the diamond. Goodman, Kurtz, Turang, Perdomo, Suarez and Springer anchored multi-category returns, turning mid- to late-round targets into frontline contributors. PCA, Buxton, Caminero, Story, Crow-Armstrong and Buxton showcased the breadth of upside, with late-blooming production converging with injury risk and positional flexibility as fantasy-format sweet spots enter 2026 drafts. Runner-ups Pages, Soderström and Adell underscored the volatility and payoff of high-variance bets for outfield and catcher pools.

Look ahead: chase high-velocity players who produced despite draft gaps, monitor hard-hit rates and plate discipline shifts, and target multi-stat contributors who can augment speed, power and runs in a balanced lineup. These patterns suggest a wide, dynamic set of targets for 2026 fantasy rosters.

Reds at Dodgers in NL Wild Card Game 1 pits Hunter Greene, making his first playoff start in his hometown, against Blake Snell, who most recently no-hit Cincinnati in 2024. Cincinnati’s lineup features De La Cruz, Marte, and Edman, while Los Angeles counters with Ohtani, Betts, Freeman, and a deep, versatile roster. In a one-game sprint, fantasy angles hinge on Greene’s poise, Snell’s form, and how the Dodgers’ power and depth translate to a high-leverage night.

Expect bullpen leverage to decide late runs and for each side to gamble on contact and speed at key spots. For fantasy and betting, prioritize Greene’s upside as a dynamic rookie in a playoff environment and Snell’s strikeout potential, while weighing Dodgers’ mid-order contributors for multi-hit, multi-RBI nights. The result could set the tone for the Reds’ postseason run and the Dodgers’ title chances.