"After advancing past the plucky Reds and their 83-win roster in a best-of-three wild card series this week, the Dodgers will now face a true powerhouse in the best-of-five National League Division Series, matched up against a Philadelphia Phillies team facing unfinished business in the postseason. For years, the Phillies have been building toward contention. In each of the last four years, they've reached the playoffs while increasing their regular-season win total."
"However, the club's recent October history has been filled with one disappointment after another: A loss to the Houston Astros in the World Series in 2022. An upset defeat at the hands of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2023 NL Championship Series. A four-game elimination to the rival New York Mets in last year's NLDS. The hope this year, coming off a 96-win regular season that gave the Phillies a first-round bye and home-field advantage in this NLDS,"
"That was evident during the bye week, when the Phillies sold more than 25,000 tickets for fans to come watch a practice. It will be obvious Saturday night, when the series begins at what will be a raucous Citizens Bank Park. Ahead of Game 1, here are nine things to know about the Phillies, and the concerns they present to the Dodgers in this NLDS:"
The Philadelphia Phillies enter the NLDS following a 96-win regular season that secured a first-round bye and home-field advantage. The organization increased its win total each of the last four years while assembling a roster aiming to overcome recent postseason failures, including a 2022 World Series loss and consecutive playoff eliminations. Fans demonstrated intense support by purchasing more than 25,000 tickets to watch a practice, and Citizens Bank Park is expected to present a loud home atmosphere. Pitching depth remains a strength despite the season-ending loss of Zack Wheeler, and a rotation featuring left-handers could present matchup problems for the Dodgers.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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