The Philadelphia Phillies came into this postseason in a much better place than how they stumbled into the 2024 playoffs. Apparently that didn't matter in Game 1 of their National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, as they dropped the series opener 5-3 in demoralizing fashion.
The culprit, much like in last year's NLDS collapse against the New York Mets, was the bullpen. After the first half of the game was a party, the second half turned into a horrifying scene for Phillies fans at Citizens Bank Park and at home watching on TV.
Phillies bullpen couldn't hold a lead for Cristopher Sánchez in Game 1 of NLDS
After scoring three runs off an otherwise stingy Shohei Ohtani in the second inning, with a J.T. Realmuto two-run triple the highlight of the frame, the Phillies took a 3-0 lead into the sixth. Starter Cristopher Sánchez was as good as the Phillies could have asked for.
The emergent lefty ace went 5 2/3 innings before running into trouble with two outs in the sixth. He allowed two runs to score on a double into the left field corner and that was the end of his night.
Sánchez left with a 3-2 lead, but it wouldn't last long.
Right-hander David Robertson got out of the sixth inning unscathed but then ran into trouble in the seventh. After Andy Pages led off the top of the seventh with a single and Robertson hit Will Smith, lefty Matt Strahm was summoned from the bullpen.
It started so well for Strahm. He got Ohtani to strike out for the fourth time before inducing a pop out from Mookie Betts. Unfortunately, that's when things turned in the Dodgers' favor in a hurry. Teoscar Hernández, whose rough right field defense helped the Phillies score in the second, lofted a three-run home run just over the right center field wall to put the Dodgers up 5-3.
TEOSCAR HERNÁNDEZ!@DODGERS LEAD! #NLDS pic.twitter.com/XeygIPFj4t
— MLB (@MLB) October 5, 2025
The bullpen once again sucked the air out of Citizens Bank Park.
Fans will obviously remember what happened in Game 1 of last year's NLDS. Zack Wheeler, who made an emotional appearance before this game, twirled a gem against the Mets before the bullpen blew things up big time.
He left that one up 1-0 after going seven shutout one-hit innings with nine strikeouts. The bullpen proceeded to give up six runs over the final two frames in a 6-2 Phillies loss. Strahm played a prominent role in that collapse as well.
The Phillies' bullpen finished the 2024 NLDS with an 11.37 ERA and 2.13 WHIP, leading to their quick four-game exit against the Mets.
Hopefully the rest of this series against the Dodgers goes a little better than that.