Cincinnati Reds vs Los Angeles Dodgers: 2025 NL Wild Card Game Preview, Pitching Matchups & Ohtani’s Postseason Debut

Tuesday, September 30th, 2025

Cincinnati Reds vs Los Angeles Dodgers: 2025 NL Wild Card Series Game 1 Preview

The Cincinnati Reds, surging with late-season momentum, arrive at Dodger Stadium to take on the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Wild Card Series. In a dramatic finish to the regular season, the Reds secured their first playoff berth since 2020, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown in Los Angeles.

Weather

Today's weather at Dodger Stadium is ideal for baseball, with clear skies and warm temperatures around 78°F. There is no chance of precipitation, and winds are light out of the west at 6 mph, ensuring excellent playing conditions and a comfortable experience for fans.

Pitching Matchup

Hunter Greene (7-4) will make his postseason debut for the Reds, who clinched the National League's third and final wild card on the season’s last day. Opposing him will be two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell (5-4), the Dodgers’ prized free agent acquisition who is pitching in October for the first time in Los Angeles.

“The only reason I came here was to pitch in October,” Snell said. “And to really challenge myself personally and see how good I am, face the best when the stakes are the highest.”

Team Momentum and Mindset

The Reds, under first-year manager Terry Francona, have thrived in high-pressure games the past month and hope to use that experience against the Dodgers. “You try to have urgency without panic. Sometimes that’s a hard one to traverse,” Francona said.

Manager Dave Roberts is wary of Cincinnati’s momentum: “The dangers are the youthful enthusiasm, the naivete. We have to not take them lightly because it's a really good ballclub. We're playing against a team that essentially feels like they have nothing to lose.”

Head-to-Head and Playoff Stakes

The Dodgers won five of six meetings against the Reds during the regular season, outscoring Cincinnati 30-15. Home-field advantage and early-game energy are priorities for Los Angeles as they attempt to avoid a Reds upset.

The winner of this best-of-three series advances to face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL Division Series.

Pitching Plans for the Series

Following Game 1, Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-8, 2.49 ERA) will start Game 2 for the Dodgers. Shohei Ohtani (1-1, 2.87 ERA), after missing last year's postseason as a pitcher, is likely to make his postseason pitching debut if Game 3 is necessary. Ohtani revived his swing in September, finishing with a career-high 55 homers and a .312 average this month.

The Reds have lined up Zack Littell (10-8) for Game 2, with Nick Lodolo available out of the bullpen. If the series goes the distance, Andrew Abbott (10-7) is slated to pitch Game 3.

Player Stories

Hunter Greene, who grew up a Dodgers fan and attended World Series games at Dodger Stadium, will realize a dream by pitching in front of family and friends. “To be here, it’s a full-circle moment. Just really special,” Greene said.

Reds second baseman Gavin Lux, a two-time World Series champion with the Dodgers, relishes the chance to compete against his former team. “We've been playing do-or-die baseball for what feels like the last month or two. I think we can use that to our advantage. It's whoever gets hot and the playoffs are a crapshoot. I'm ready to get out there and try to kick their you-know-whats.”

Postseason History

This marks just the second postseason meeting between these clubs. The Reds swept the Dodgers in three games during the 1995 NL Division Series.

Managers’ Playoff Track Records

Terry Francona boasts 44 postseason wins, tied for seventh-most in MLB history, including World Series titles with Boston in 2004 and 2007 and an AL title with Cleveland in 2016. Dave Roberts, with 56 postseason wins and championships in 2020 and 2024, has led the Dodgers to the playoffs in every year of his decade-long tenure.

In summary

The NL Wild Card showdown between the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers brings together two teams with different storylines but a shared postseason ambition. With exciting pitching matchups, recent team history, and star players in the spotlight, Game 1 promises thrilling October baseball set against perfect weather conditions at Dodger Stadium. The winner will move on for a chance to challenge the Philadelphia Phillies in the next round of the MLB playoffs.

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