The Phillies entered October as the betting favorites to win it all. They had the bye, the rest, and the narrative. Yet here we are, less than a week later, and the odds have shifted—without the Phillies even throwing a pitch.
That’s how overwhelming the Dodgers looked in blasting past the Reds. Their lineup — Ohtani, Betts, Freeman, and friends — flexed its muscle, their rotation looked like a playoff weapon, and while the bullpen wobbled at times, the overall impression was clear: this team is a heavyweight.
As of Friday morning, FanGraphs put the Dodgers on top of the World Series board at 23.3%, ahead of the Mariners (17.6%), Yankees (16.2%), and the Phillies down at 13.4%. Sportsbooks followed suit, nudging the Dodgers into the role of slight favorites to take out the Phillies in the NLDS.
So, the irony? The Phillies didn’t stumble, didn’t lose, didn’t blink. They just watched the Dodgers dominate for three days … and somehow saw their own odds slip.
Schwarber Speaks
Kyle Schwarber doesn’t need to reinvent himself for October. He just needs to keep being Schwarber. That means a swing that can launch balls into the second deck. That means strikeouts he shrugs off with a smile. And it means an approach that sounds almost too simple: don’t try to hit home runs — let them happen.
It’s worked before. His 21 career postseason homers rank second among active players, behind only Jose Altuve. His 56 regular-season blasts led the National League. And yet, ask Schwarber to define a perfect swing and he’ll tell you it isn’t the moonshot — it’s the line drive that barely leaves the dirt before it’s in the gap.
That’s why his laboratory is the batting cage. That’s where he works on rhythm, on staying in the middle of the field, on keeping the swing compact. Because when October arrives, the noise rises and the stage feels bigger — but his job doesn’t change.
He knows what to expect now at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies return to a building that has become one of the loudest home-field advantages in baseball. Schwarber still remembers his first true taste of Red October in Philly back in 2022. By Game 3 of the NLDS, the noise felt closer to football than baseball, and he realized this wasn’t a normal crowd. It was a weapon.
"It felt like a football game,” Schwarber said as a guest on Wednesday’s episode of The Pat McAfee Show. “I'm like, ‘Holy [expletive], this is awesome.' It gives you goosebumps. You just don't expect that. … It's literally the best. That’s why I'm itching, I'm ready for Saturday. Friday, we're not going to be able to sleep."
That weapon will be at full volume again Saturday night when the Phillies open their Division Series against the Dodgers. Schwarber will step into the box, the towels will fly, and the season will tilt into October mode.
And if history is any guide, his approach won’t change. Don’t chase the long ball. Just take the swing that feels right. Because for Schwarber, that swing has a way of turning October into home-run season anyway.
“Just because everything's heightened [in the postseason], the senses are heightened, it doesn't mean you have to be Superman," Schwarber said.
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