The Philadelphia Phillies are preparing for their NLDS matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers. They were handed the National League's No. 2 seed with their 96-66 record and received a first-round bye.
Going into the NLDS, the Phillies hold the upper hand. They have played the Dodgers in two different series during the regular season, holding a 4-2 record against them. They have also spent the last week resting and recovering, while Los Angeles has been playing this past week.
However, not everyone believes that the Phillies have the upper hand. ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit fired an indirect shot at the club, which could spell bad news for the Dodgers.
Kirk Herbstreit's NLCS prediction for Dodgers gives Phillies immediate motivation
Kirk Herbstreit was on the call for the Thursday Night Football matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams. During the broadcast, he laid out the Phillies' future, which is sure to give them free fuel, via MLB.com's Paul Casella.
"What is L.A. going to do in a few weeks? They're going to have the Dodgers probably in the NLCS by then ..."
The Phillies are likely one of the last teams anybody wants to give extra motivation to. They play with a chip on their shoulder and are desperately trying to get their club their first World Series title since the 2008 season.
On top of that and Herbstreit's comments, they are also viewed as an underdog in Vegas' eyes. With the level of talent scattered across the roster, they could come out and surprise many by taking down the Dodgers in the NLDS and advancing to the NLCS.