NL East? Check (Soon). Now It’s About Playoff Positioning, and the Stakes Are High in Phillies-Dodgers.

NL East? Check (soon). Now it’s about playoff positioning, and the stakes are high in Phillies-Dodgers.

The two teams with the NL's most star-laden rosters meet again for the first time since April, and there’s a lot on the line. Here are three storylines to follow during the series.

Phillies a Slight Underdog in Dodgers Series Opener, Potential NL East Clincher

The Phillies are one win away from securing the National League East title. The celebration could happen as early as Monday night, or, well, it will be Tuesday morning our time if it happens, at Dodger Stadium. The Phils are an even-money underdog at ESPN Bet behind Ranger Suarez in a pitching matchup with Emmet Sheehan. Suarez comes into Monday with one earned run allowed in his last 24 innings across four starts. He had his best start of the s…

Phillies’ likeliest NLDS opponent is the next on their schedule

The Phillies took two of three at home from the Dodgers in early April. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire) Steaming toward a bye in the wild-card round of the playoffs, the Phillies’ likeliest first October opponent is the next on their schedule: the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Phils begin the week firmly occupying the National League’s No. 2 seed, 4.5-games ahead of the Dodgers, a lead that will be difficult to relinquish and highly improbab…