Reds vs. Dodgers NL Wild Card Series Recap

Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

The 2025 National League Wild Card Series between the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers brought two franchises to October from very different directions.

For the Reds, just reaching this stage was a story in itself. Under Terry Francona, who became the first manager in MLB history to lead three different franchises to the postseason in his first year managing them (Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Guardians, and Reds), Cincinnati dramatically earned its shot. The New York Mets once held a six-game lead over them for the final Wild Card spot, only to collapse down the stretch. 

Both teams finished tied, but the Reds owned the tiebreaker and snuck in. The youth defined this club, as they were hungry and energetic with far less postseason experience than their opponent. The Dodgers, by contrast, came in as the defending World Series champions. The team had high expectations for another 100-win season, but injuries to Betts, Sasaki, Kershaw, Snell, and Glasnow proved to be obstacles, resulting in only 93 victories. Even so, with their depth of stars and championship pedigree, they remained the heavy favorites.

Blake Snell opened Game 1 with a sharp 1-2-3 inning, setting the tone for Los Angeles. For Cincinnati, it was a much different story. Hunter Greene, making the first postseason appearance of his career and pitching in his hometown, struggled under the October spotlight. He lasted only three innings, surrendering five runs on six hits before handing the ball over to the bullpen.

The Dodgers’ offense wasted no time. Shohei Ohtani blasted a leadoff homer off a 100.4 mph fastball from Greene, and by the third inning, the floodgates opened. A walk parade set up Teoscar Hernández for a three-run shot, followed shortly after by a Tommy Edman homer. Scott Barlow temporarily alleviated the pain for Cincinnati in the first and second innings; however, Hernández struck again in the fifth with another long ball when Connor Phillips entered the game. At the same time, Ohtani added his second of the night in the sixth, a 454-foot bomb. Cincinnati’s Brent Suter struggled, too.

The Reds scored with RBI hits from Elly De La Cruz and Tyler Stephenson, which sparked a late rally supported by additional RBIs from other players. Stewart and Steer cut the deficit to 10–5. However, by that time, the damage had already been done; Blake Treinen successfully closed out the game in the ninth inning. Snell’s dominance and the Dodgers’ five home runs tied a franchise postseason record, giving L.A. a commanding series lead.

Historically, teams that win Game 1 of a best-of-three Wild Card have an advantage. The Reds struck first in Game 2, capitalizing on a Teoscar Hernández error to plate two runs in the first inning. Momentum was on their side, at least for the moment. But Littell would fall apart in the third and especially the fourth inning. He gave up three runs, giving LA a 3-2 lead.

With Los Angeles’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound, making another postseason appearance in the second of his first two seasons, he showed out. The right-hander settled in after the early hiccup and delivered a strong outing, highlighted by his escape off a bases-loaded jam in the sixth when he struck out Sal Stewart and Elly De La Cruz back-to-back. He ended his outing with nine strikeouts.

Cincinnati's Lodolo performed admirably, striking out five batters. Everything came falling when Martinez and Santillan gave a combined four earned runs; an error by first baseman Stewart didn’t help. That sixth inning marked a pivotal moment, as Ohtani, Betts, and Hernández unleashed a barrage of hits that completely changed the game. Mookie Betts in particular was relentless, peppering the outfield gaps with three doubles that night. 

By the seventh, the lead had swelled to six. LA’s Emmet Sheehan coughed up two runs, and the defense committed three errors on the night. The Reds scratched out two late runs, but the deficit was too much to overcome. Roki Sasaki closed the ninth with ease to seal the sweep after an 8-4 Dodgers victory.

For Cincinnati, the ending was familiar: they still haven’t won a postseason game since 2012. Yet, there is legitimate hope. Their young core gained valuable playoff experience, and Francona’s steady hand proved why he’s still considered one of the game’s best managers.

For Los Angeles, the mission continues. The Dodgers successfully advance to face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS. Their dreams of defending last year’s championship are still alive, and this sweep showed why they remain the team to beat in October.