Padres and Phillies will play each other in the NLCS, a breakdown

Oct 18, 2022 225.4K views 7:23

What Happened

The National League Championship Series between the San Diego Padres and the Philadelphia Phillies is a matchup of two teams that haven't faced each other in the playoffs before. This is the first time in NLCS history that two teams with less than 90 wins in the regular season have advanced this far. Adding to the intrigue, the series features a clash between Padres star Manny Machado and Phillies superstar Bryce Harper, two generational talents who entered the league as teenage phenoms and are now leading their respective teams. Another compelling storyline is the battle between the Nola brothers, right-handers Aaron Nola of the Phillies and Austin Nola of the Padres. This marks the first time siblings have matched up in an NLCS. Both teams have distinct identities - the Padres have embraced a goose that invaded their outfield during the divisional series, while the Phillies are known for their classic tip-of-the-hat celebration. In terms of on-field performance, the Padres have relied on their strong pitching and defense to grind out close games, while the Phillies have been more dominant at the plate, scoring in bunches. Sluggers Rhys Hoskins, Kyle Schwarber, and Harper have carried the Phillies' offense, which has had several multi-run innings. The Padres, on the other hand, have relied more on solo home runs and timely hits to scratch out victories. The eighth-hole hitters have been surprise standouts in the playoffs, with Trent Grisham of the Padres and Jean Segura of the Phillies both posting gaudy on-base percentages. This could prompt lineup shuffles as teams try to get their top hitters more opportunities. One intriguing pitching matchup to watch is Game 1, where the Padres' Yu Darvish will face the Phillies' Brandon Marsh. Marsh has been one of the best hitters against split-finger fastballs this season, which Darvish likes to throw to left-handed batters. Phillies closer José Alvarado has also been dominant, relying on his power sinker and slider to shut down opponents. With the Padres and Phillies both riding high after eliminating more highly-touted teams, this NLCS promises to be a tightly contested series between two hungry squads looking to advance to the World Series for the first time in over a decade.

Full Transcript

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the National League Championship Series

kicks off tonight I'm gonna break down

the matchup for you a little bit let you

know what to be on the lookout for it is

a series of Firsts it's the first time