Perhaps the best series we'll see this October is just over 24 hours away from kicking off. By defeating the Cincinnati Reds in the Wild Card Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers punched their ticket to the NLDS, where the Philadelphia Phillies are waiting for them. That's right — for the defending champions to repeat, they're going to have to get through the Phillies.
This is as star-studded a matchup as MLB fans could possibly hope for. From Shohei Ohtani to Kyle Schwarber to Freddie Freeman to Bryce Harper, the talent level is off the charts. There's a good chance that the winner of this series is the team that's able to contain the other team's best players.
On that front, for the Phillies to win, they're going to have to ensure Shohei Ohtani doesn't do Shohei Ohtani things. They might have a better shot of doing so than any of the other remaining postseason teams for one shocking reason - Citizens Bank Park.
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Citizens Bank Park can help Phillies beat Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers
Homefield advantage matters in the playoffs, particularly in Philadelphia. Phillies fans are as into every pitch as any fan base in the sport, and it shows every year. The fans are loud when things are going well for the Phillies and even when they are not, hoping to will their team to victory. I don't know whether it's the passionate fans booing him or what the deal is, but for whatever reason, Ohtani has had all sorts of trouble hitting at Citizens Bank Park.
Ohtani has slashed .250/.365/.295 with zero home runs and four RBI. He's even been caught stealing more times (3) than he's been successful (2). Ohtani has only played 12 games and recorded 52 plate appearances at Citizens Bank Park, and he's done a pretty good job reaching base, but he has a total of two extra-base hits and has not gone yard a single time. The only other park he has not homered in is Great American Ballpark, a stadium in which Ohtani has only started six games in.
This season, Ohtani had just one hit in 11 at-bats with five strikeouts in Philadelphia, and he had five hits in 23 at-bats with 10 strikeouts against the Phillies overall. Ohtani, for whatever reason, has trouble at Citizens Bank Park, a park which typically favors hitters, but it should be noted that he struggles against a stout Phillies team to begin with. Here are his numbers against the four projected starters for Philadelphia:
- Shohei Ohtani vs. Cristopher Sanchez: 4-for-16, 0 HR, 0 BB, 6 Ks
- Shohei Ohtani vs. Ranger Suarez: 1-for-2, 0, HR, 1 BB, 1 K
- Shohei Ohtani vs. Jesus Luzardo: 2-for-14, 2 HR, 0 BB, 6 Ks
- Shohei Ohtani vs. Aaron Nola: 1-for-7, 0 HR, 1 BB, 3 Ks
Sure, he can still pitch well, and he's set to take the mound twice if this series goes five games, but as good as Ohtani is on the mound, he's better at the dish. If he's unable to make an impact offensively, can the Dodgers win this series?
Perhaps he sheds those Citizens Bank Park demons, but the atmosphere will only be crazier in October. The pitching will only be tougher, too. It will not be easy for Ohtani to be as impactful as he usually is when he has to play three times at a ballpark he, for whatever reason, isn't comfortable in.
Dodgers need to rely on others to pick up Shohei Ohtani slack
If Ohtani is unable to figure Citizens Bank Park out, the Dodgers will need to rely on the rest of their lineup, perhaps more than they're accustomed to. Fortunately, their other big boppers don't have any trouble hitting in Philadelphia.
Dodgers Player | Citizens Bank Park OPS |
|---|---|
Mookie Betts | 1.181 |
Freddie Freeman | .842 |
Teoscar Hernandez | .973 |
Will Smith | .798 |
The Dodgers are far from a one-man show. Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez and Will Smith are all on the team, and should play a pivotal role in the NLDS. Betts and Hernandez in particular have torn the cover off the ball at Citizens Bank Park.
If the Phillies are able to contain Ohtani, at least at Citizens Bank Park, their odds of winning the series obviously skyrocket, but with other superstars to keep in mind, it's far from a given that the Dodgers will be going home within the next week whether Ohtani contributes or not.