The Dodgers closed the regular season at 93–69 with a five-game winning streak. The Reds snuck in at 83–79, falling in their finale but winning seven of their last ten to secure the sixth seed.
World Baseball Network covers the game differently — we track who’s been sharpened outside U.S. borders, from the Mexican League to Nippon Professional Baseball, the Australian Baseball League to the winter circuits of the Caribbean, and of course the World Baseball Classic. Those reps matter. They sharpen instincts, they shape rosters, and when the pressure turns postseason, they decide games.
International experience isn’t just a storyline — it’s often the difference between a team that survives October and one that goes home early.
Hunter Greene takes the ball for Cincinnati. He went 7–4 with a 2.76 ERA and 132 strikeouts and brings the kind of velocity that lights up radar guns in October.
Los Angeles counters with Blake Snell. The left-hander signed last winter, went 5–4 with a 2.35 ERA, and already owns two Cy Young Awards. Snell has been the definition of playoff battle-tested, but his international résumé stops at MLB.
That is where the Dodgers’ edge begins — once the bullpen doors swing open. Roki Sasaki from Japan lurks in relief,
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki, of Japan, smiles as he waits to warm up at the Dodgers baseball spring training facility, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Hyeseong Kim from Korea earned a final roster spot after missing time in August, and Shohei Ohtani will hit every day while waiting to pitch in Game 3 if needed.
Add Teoscar Hernández from the Dominican Republic, Kiké Hernández from Puerto Rico, Miguel Rojas from Venezuela, and Andy Pages from Cuba, and the Dodgers lean on global mileage across the diamond. Mookie Betts represented the United States at WBC ’23, and Freddie Freeman has done the same for Canada.
The Reds’ international count is smaller but more volatile. Elly De La Cruz of the Dominican Republic is the wild card inside the Wild Card, a player who can swing a game with one violent swing or one daring sprint. Noelvi Marte, another Dominican talent, adds pop at third base. Miguel Andújar has been revitalized this season and brings the same Caribbean seasoning that has carried him through winter ball. Nick Martínez, part of Team USA in WBC ’23, offers Terry Francona a versatile bullpen option behind Greene.
That is the kind of construction WorldBaseball.com watches — the more passports stamped, the more angles for October play.
The Reds live and die with Elly’s legs. He stole twenty-five bases this year and does not need a green light to create havoc. Marte is not as fast but has shown aggression on the basepaths. For Los Angeles, Hyeseong Kim is the X-factor. Healthy again and on the roster bubble until the last cut, his ability to swipe a bag in a late-inning pinch role could prove decisive.
On the power side, the Dodgers bring Ohtani’s thunder — two total bases can come on one swing, and that is always easier than stacking two hits. Freeman and Betts are steady table-setters who deliver postseason at-bats with tournament patience. For Cincinnati, Andújar’s hot bat and De La Cruz’s streaky pop give them hope for fireworks in Chavez Ravine.
Dave Roberts, the Dodger manager born in Japan, knows postseason chess moves better than most. His staff leans American but includes enough voices who have worked with international stars.
Terry Francona, in his first Reds postseason run, brings experience but not the same global balance in his dugout. In October, one suggestion from a coach can flip a game, and those voices often come from years overseas.
Los Angeles +1.5, Over 5.5 runs, Ohtani 2+ total bases.
Conservative, steady, and backed by the most feared bat in the game. Two total bases is easier than two hits — a single double pays this off.
Dodgers -1.5, Over 7.5 runs, 1+ total base each from Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Kiké Hernández.
This leans on the trusted October trio to keep pressure on Reds pitching while pushing the scoreboard toward a double-digit finish. A veteran-heavy play, strong enough to feel realistic but still juicy at nearly 10–1.
Reds -2.5, Over 10.5 runs, Andy Pages stolen base, Elly De La Cruz home run.
This is the all-in, life-changing dart throw. Cincinnati has to break the game open, De La Cruz has to deliver fireworks, and the Dodgers’ rookie has to run wild. It is absurd, reckless, and totally October.
The Dodgers own the depth, the bullpen, and the global count. The Reds counter with volatility and Elly’s unpredictability. Odds lean toward Los Angeles, but the edge that matters is which international star makes the right move at the right time. As we always remind every October — 162 games show you who teams are, but tournament baseball shows who’s been tested beyond borders.
