Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates as he runs for first on an RBI single in the sixth inning of the MLB National League Wild Card Game 2 between the Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Oct. 1, 2025.

Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers will continue their quest to repeat as World Series champions.

Kyle Schwarber and the Philadelphia Phillies are the National League’s second overall seed and serve as the latest hurdle for the Dodgers in the divisional series.

The series will serve as one of the most anticipated matchups of the postseason, with the winner likely to be viewed as the favorite to win the World Series. The Phillies won the regular-season series 4-2 against the Dodgers this season.

Schwarber (56) and Ohtani (55) are among the featured players to watch in the series, as they finished second and third, respectively, among players with the most home runs this season.

Here's what to know about the Dodgers-Phillies series, which starts with Game 1 on Saturday:

Dodgers vs. Phillies odds, moneyline, over/under

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 4:39 a.m. ET.

Odds as of Friday:

  • Spread: Phillies (-1.5)
  • Moneyline: Phillies (-130); Dodgers (+110)
  • Over/under: 7.5

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Phillies vs. Dodgers predictions

ESPN: "Best roster in baseball"

Tim Kurkjian writes: "The Phillies are plenty good enough to win the World Series, but I believe the Dodgers, when healthy, have the best roster in baseball. Their starting pitching is stout, and their leftover starters might help mask the Dodgers' ragged bullpen. And when catcher Will Smith returns, the Dodgers have the best offense in the NL."

The Athletic: "Phillies in five"

Eno Sarris writes: "In a well-matched series, it’s tempting to pick the defending champions coming off a definitive wild-card win. The Dodgers looked good. However, their bullpen issues did show a bit, and the Phillies have an advantage there, if only because they know who their closer is. In every other facet of the game, these two teams are right there with each other. In an era where the bullpen pitches half (or more!) of the innings in the playoffs, that one bigger edge could be huge."

CBS Sports: "Dodgers in 5"

R.J. Anderson writes: "I had happened to pick the Dodgers to reach (and win) the World Series, meaning I have to take Los Angeles here. My hope is that this one goes the distance and we get five compelling, top-notch games along the way."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Los Angeles Dodgers at Philadelphia Phillies: Predictions and odds for NLDS

Reporting by James H. Williams, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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