Reds Crash Postseason, Face Defending Champs Dodgers

On the final day of the 2025 regular season, the Cincinnati Reds clinched a postseason berth, snagging the National League's third and final Wild Card spot. The Reds, who last made the playoffs in 2020, are riding a surge of momentum as they prepare to face the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the Wild Card Series.

The Dodgers, who won the NL West for the 12th time in 13 years, are hosting the series at Dodger Stadium. While the Dodgers are the heavy favorites, Reds manager Terry Francona believes his young team's "do-or-die" mentality from the final stretch of the regular season could give them an advantage. "We've been playing do-or-die baseball now for what feels like the last month or two. I think we can use that to our advantage," said Reds second baseman Gavin Lux, who won World Series titles with the Dodgers in 2020 and 2024.

The Dodgers, however, are not taking the Reds lightly. "The dangers are the youthful enthusiasm, the naivete," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "A way to combat that is we have to not take them lightly because it's a really good ballclub." The Dodgers will send two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell to the mound for Game 1, while the Reds will counter with rookie sensation Hunter Greene.