Dodgers-Phillies beanball war, Kyle Schwarber add more fuel to potential playoff showdown

The Dodgers and Phillies have seen each other twice now for a total of six games, and each one of them has felt like a sneak preview into what this year's NLCS will looks like. Of course, this is contingent on the Dodgers actually making it past the DS this year, unlike the last two years, but these two teams are the odds-on favorites to chase the National League pennant, as of right now.

Unfortunately, the Phillies have taken both of their series against the Dodgers, and the first was a sweep that saw the Dodgers resorting to a position player pitching through the last inning. Their most recent series, this time in LA, was hardly different. LA took Game 1, but dropped both of the others to Philadelphia (and their loss in the third was an ugly one).

Understandably, both the Dodgers and Phillies have played hard when they've seen each other, but things seemed to take on a new and maybe slightly more unpleasant vibe on Wednesday night. Nick Castellanos was drilled by Michael Grove in the top of eighth and didn't take it well.

The Phillies struck back in the top of the ninth, when Matt Strahm hit Gavin Lux on the shoulder with two outs.

Dodgers and Phillies traded HBP blows as both chase NL pennants

The Dodgers got royally screwed over by a defensive interference call at third base with a one-run lead on Wednesday, which led to the Phillies putting up five runs and eventually winning the game 9-4. Kyle Schwarber was easily the player of the night; he went 4-4 and was responsible for driving in seven of those nine runs on a double and three home runs. It's never ideal when your potential playoff foe also happens to employ your tormentor.

While the Dodgers are working with a significantly more hobbled roster than the Phillies (Mookie Betts is out until next week, and Max Muncy will also be back soon, but isn't quite there yet), none of their healthy players have been able to put on a show the way Schwarber did.

Shohei Ohtani is still hitting .243 with runners in scoring position and hasn't had a multi-homer night since June 16, only his second of the season. Lately, the Dodgers' best hitter has been, stunningly, Lux, who's batting .310 with a .922 OPS over his last 30 games.

We hate to say it, but maybe the Dodgers need to take a couple of notes from the Phillies here. If these two series were anything to go off of, the Dodgers wouldn't stand a chance if they had to go to the NLCS against them tomorrow.