PHILADELPHIA -- Three weeks after celebrating their second straight division title in the visiting clubhouse at Dodger Stadium, the Phillies return to Los Angeles this week just hoping to keep their season alive.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, return home for Game 3 of the NLDS on Wednesday night with a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series after winning the first two games in Philadelphia.
Los Angeles is in its pursuit for a second straight World Series title. As for Philadelphia, it’s simply hoping to avoid its second straight NLDS exit despite having home-field advantage.
Here’s everything you need to know about Game 3:
When is the game and how can I watch it?
Game 3 is on Wednesday, with first pitch scheduled for 9:08 p.m. ET/6:08 p.m. PT on TBS, truTV and HBO Max. All series are available in the US on MLB.TV with authentication to a participating Pay TV provider. Games also are available live internationally, although not in Canada. Sportsnet is MLB's exclusive English language broadcaster in Canada for every Postseason game, while TVA Sports will be covering the entire AL Postseason and the World Series in French and Broadcaster RDS will cover the entire NL Postseason in French.
Who are the starting pitchers?
Dodgers: RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-8, 2.49 ERA)
After shining on last year's postseason stage, Yamamoto delivered in his Wild Card Series start against the Reds last week, striking out nine across 6 2/3 innings and giving up just two unearned runs. He is the first Dodgers starter to allow one earned run or fewer in back-to-back playoff starts since Walker Buehler in 2020.
Yamamoto last faced the Phillies in April, when he allowed an unearned run in six innings at Citizens Bank Park. Since taking the ball on Opening Day in Tokyo, Yamamoto has been the Dodgers' steadiest starter, and the only member of the rotation who did not miss a start due to injury.
Phillies: RHP Aaron Nola (5-10, 6.01 ERA)
Phillies manager Rob Thomson made the surprising announcement that Nola would start Game 3 after indicating that left-hander Ranger Suárez (12-8, 3.20 ERA) would get the call.
“Nola has never pitched out of the 'pen,” Thomson said. “How long he goes, I don't know. But -- and I trust him.”
It wouldn’t be surprising to see Nola get through the lineup once, and then go to Suárez. Nola’s season has been a struggle, and he often has been plagued by the big inning.
What are the starting lineups?
Dodgers: With a right-hander starting for the Phillies, the Dodgers' lineup will look a little different than the first two games. The top four of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernández and Freddie Freeman held over, and Max Muncy returned after sitting vs. two lefty starters. Most notably, Will Smith is in the starting lineup for the first time this postseason after being eased back into game action.
- Shohei Ohtani, DH
- Mookie Betts, SS
- Teoscar Hernández, RF
- Freddie Freeman, 1B
- Will Smith, C
- Kiké Hernández, LF
- Max Muncy, 3B
- Andy Pages, CF
- Tommy Edman, 2B
Phillies: Though Nick Castellanos has been limited to only starting against left-handers of late, Bader’s injury means Castellanos is getting the start in right field against the right-handed Yamamoto. The other option would have been to start Otto Kemp in left field and slide Max Kepler to right.
- Trea Turner, SS
- Kyle Schwarber, DH
- Bryce Harper, 1B
- Alec Bohm, 3B
- Brandon Marsh, CF
- J.T. Realmuto, C
- Max Kepler, LF
- Nick Castellanos, RF
- Bryson Stott, 2B
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Dodgers: With a day off after both of the first games, the bullpen should be reset for Game 3. Roberts has stopped short of naming Roki Sasaki the Dodgers' new closer, but the rookie converted the save in each of the first two Division Series games. On the other hand, the team's veteran arms -- such as Tanner Scott and Blake Treinen -- struggled during the regular season.
Phillies: It will be an all-hands-on-deck situation for the Phillies with their season on the line. Thomson said Suárez will follow Nola. Jhoan Duran, their lights-out closer, could be called upon for more than three outs if the Phils have a late lead. Lefty Matt Strahm and righty Orion Kerkering figure to continue soaking up the high-leverage spots ahead of Duran, with righty David Robertson and lefty Tanner Banks potentially taking down the middle innings.
Any injuries of note?
Dodgers: Smith, who is dealing with a hairline fracture in his right hand, made it into both games in Philadelphia and is in the starting lineup for Game 3. Edman will have to continue to manage his right ankle, which landed him on the IL twice earlier this year. Miguel Rojas is dealing with hamstring tightness after Game 2, but Roberts said he is expected to be available in Game 3.
Phillies: Bader figures to again be limited to pinch-hit duties as he continues to deal with the groin injury he sustained in Game 1. Aside from Bader, the biggest injury for the Phillies is obviously Zack Wheeler, who will miss the postseason after undergoing thoracic outlet decompression surgery on Sept. 23 in St. Louis.
Who is hot and who is not?
Dodgers: Teoscar Hernández continues to swing a hot bat in the postseason, hitting 7-for-17 (.412) with three homers and nine RBIs. "October Kiké" is back in full force, as he has gone 5-for-16 (.313) and knocked in six runs.
Meanwhile, Pages is just 1-for-17 (.059) overall. Even while managing his ankle, Edman has been able to stay on the field due to the series off-days, but he's gone 2-for-11 (.182) with a homer.
Phillies: Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper are a combined 2-for-21 in the series. There is no question that if the Phillies are going to pull of a miracle comeback, they need their three most talented hitters in the lineup to lead the way.
Anything else fans might want to know?
- This is the sixth all-time postseason meeting between the Phillies and Dodgers, with the previous five each coming in the NLCS. The Dodgers won the 1977 and '78 matchups, while the Phillies won in '83, 2008 and '09.
- The Dodgers are bidding to become the first team in a quarter century to repeat as World Series champions. The Yankees, who won three in a row from 1998-2000, are the most recent team to go back-to-back.