Updates in the League Championship Series: LA Playoff Baseball is a Joke, ALCS competitive

By: Ryan Keenan

October 17th, 2025 12:00 pm EST

MLB

We are now 4 games into the ALCS between the Blue Jays and Mariners, and 3 games in the NLCS between the Dodgers and Brewers. Currently Toronto and Seattle are tied 2-2 with both teams losing their home games, and the Dodgers are up 3-0 on the Brewers looking for the sweep. 

Obviously, the Dodgers are still an absolute powerhouse of a team despite creating some doubters in the regular season, looking like a good team but not a great team. Once October came around the entire team locked into a different mode, and are now playing like the dominant team many thought they would be. Pitching has been outstanding, led by Snell in game 1, Yamamoto in game 2 and Glasnow last night in game 3. Between the first three games this group of pitchers has pitched 22 ⅔ innings only surrendering 2 earned runs combined between the three of them. The biggest concern and flaw by Los Angeles at this point is Ohtani at the plate, he is currently hitting .158 this postseason with 2 home runs and 6 RBIs. Which is remarkable, because this is arguably their best player that has been struggling yet they are still steamrolling through the competition.

My biggest problem with the Dodgers is not the amount of money they spend, or building a superteam. It is one massive issue that I have with Los Angeles baseball and watching the Dodgers every year in the playoffs these last 10 years. The glaring lack of a playoff baseball atmosphere in Los Angeles. Playoff baseball is consistently one of the most electric, exciting, thrilling and amazing sports experiences in cities across the country that you can feel if you are at the game or watching on the television. Los Angeles playoff baseball lacks this atmosphere, and showcases it year after year. Empty seats, sunshining and warm weather, all the fans sitting in the seats most of the game, mediocre celebrations around the stadium. At times early in playoff games it almost looks like a spring training game, and it is the NLCS. The stadium will be half empty in the 1st few innings, middle of the day with the sun at the top of the sky. It is a shame and Dodgers fans should be embarrassed, I don't want to hear excuses about traffic or this or that. There are cities across the country that will pack the house every game, be on their feet all game, and you can hear the crowd screaming on the TV. Something I have never seen or experienced watching Dodgers baseball in the playoffs. I am not sure how to solve this, but it is awful, and ruins the playoff baseball experience, even if your team is not in it anymore.

With this being said, Toronto and Seattle have provided the opposite of this. All four home games have been loud, exciting, entertaining and competitive. Despite these no home games have been won in the series with all wins from both teams coming on the road. Seattle's offense came alive in Games 1 and 2, while this flipped in game 3 and 4 in Seattle with the Blue Jays offense taking over scoring 21 runs in the last two games. Based on this I can easily foresee this series taking 7 games, and coming down to whoever shows up on the final game. Pitching has been up and down for both teams, and offenses have been up and down as well making it hard to predict who will come out on top of this series. It would be cool to see World Series baseball in Seattle where they have never seen a World Series game, or returning to Toronto who have not hosted a game since 1993 in which they beat the Phillies.

Both series will be returning to action tonight, with Blue Jays and Mariners starting off at 6:08pm EST, with Kevin Gausman taking the mound for Toronto, and Bryce Miller getting the ball for Seattle. While LA and the Brewers are starting at 8:38pm EST. Milwaukee has still not announced a starter, but Ohtani will be on the mound for LA tonight who has a 4.50 era this postseason. 

Bets for the two baseball games tonight:

• Dodgers and Mariners Moneyline Parlay (+192)

• Over 7.5, Vlad Jr. 1 RBI, and Naylor 1 RBI (+900)

• Over 7.5, Freeman 1 Hit, Turang 1 Hit, Chourio 1 Hit (+350)