Phillies' Bullpen Decisions Costly in NLDS Game 1 Loss to Dodgers

In Game 1 of the 2025 NLDS between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Phillies manager Rob Thomson's bullpen decisions were heavily scrutinized after a 5-3 loss. Despite a strong start with a 3-0 lead, Thomson's choice to use veteran reliever David Robertson first out of the bullpen in the sixth inning and then again to start the seventh backfired, as Robertson allowed runners that led to a pivotal three-run homer by Teoscar Hernández. While Robertson initially got the final out of the sixth, his struggles in the seventh, including hitting a batter and giving up a single, set the stage for the Dodgers' comeback, compounded by Matt Strahm's inability to contain the damage. Thomson defended his decisions, citing the need to have a left-handed pitcher face Shohei Ohtani and the minimal pitch count on Robertson, but the bullpen's late-season shakiness and execution lapses were costly. The Phillies' offense also faltered, leaving runners in scoring position and failing to capitalize beyond their early runs. Overall, the bullpen's failure to hold the lead and the Phillies' offensive shortcomings put them in a must-win position for Game 2, highlighting the fine margins and amplified consequences of playoff baseball.