The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Cincinnati Reds in the National League Wild Card series and will now play the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS. The Phillies cruised to a win in the National League East and will prove to be a challenging opponent for the Dodgers. However, LA features no shortage of star-power, meaning this series will be difficult for Philadelphia as well. Without further ado, here are three bold predictions for the Dodgers-Phillies NLDS.
Bryce Harper hits at least 3 home runs
Harper is a great player. It doesn't matter if it is the regular season or playoffs — the kid who was once on the cover of Sports Illustrated at the age of 16 has become one of the best players at the MLB level.
One could even argue that Harper's performance has been overlooked as guys like Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge make history on a consistent basis. In fact, Harper has become one of today's best clutch performers.
The Phillies star has recorded a career .280/.394/.622 slash line to go along with a 1.279 OPS in the postseason. He's also hit 17 home runs in 53 total postseason contests.
Our prediction for the upcoming NLDS is that Harper hits at least three home runs. LA features a number of right-handed pitchers, something that will only benefit Harper. Of course, manager Dave Roberts will play the matchup game when it comes to the bullpen, but Harper is more than capable of hitting against both left and right-handed hurlers.
Shohei Ohtani draws 4 or more walks (Phillies will be cautious)
The Dodgers have an extremely deep lineup. Philadelphia is going to need to be careful with most of the hitters within the Dodgers' offense. One has to imagine they will be especially careful with Shohei Ohtani, however.
Ohtani is almost impossible to get out when he's going right. He hit .333 with two home runs against the Reds last series. Mookie Betts also played extremely well and Freddie Freeman is a great hitter, but Ohtani is probably still the guy the Phillies won't want to let beat them.
With that in mind, it would not be surprising to see Philadelphia's pitching proceed with extreme caution. Look for Ohtani to draw at least four walks throughout this series. If that comes to fruition, the Dodgers' ability to hit with runners on base may decide the outcome of the NLDS.
Dodgers win in 5 games
The Dodgers-Phillies matchup is likely the most anticipated series of all four of the division series across the MLB world this season. Both teams play in big markets and are considered to be serious World Series candidates.
The Phillies were the better team in the regular season. It would not surprise anyone to see Philadelphia take care of business in this series, especially with home field advantage on their side.
With that being said, Andrew Friedman built this Dodgers ball club for October. Sure, LA's bullpen has serious questions at the moment, but the Dodgers are adjusting (Roki Sasaki may even close games moving forward).
This series is going to be competitive. The Dodgers and Phillies both feature plenty of playoff experience. Bryce Harper and Philadelphia will do everything they can to defeat the Dodgers in the series. However, our prediction is that Shohei Ohtani and Los Angeles will get the job done and advance to the next round.
