The Los Angeles Dodgers will host the Cincinnati Reds in Game 2 of their National League Wild Card playoff series on Wednesday night. This game could be the knockout punch in this series after the Dodgers grabbed Game 1 behind an offensive outburst. Can the Dodgers get even and avoid elimination? Here, I break down this matchup and give you my Reds vs Dodgers Game 2 prediction.
Our Reds vs Dodgers Game 2 Pick
- Pick: Dodgers –1.5
- Confidence: 4/5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Cincinnati Reds vs Los Angeles Dodgers
- Date & Time: Wednesday, October 1, 2025, 9:08 p.m. ET
- Starting Pitchers: Zack Littell vs Yoshinobu Yamamoto
- Stadium: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
- Broadcast: ESPN
Key Storylines
Pitching matchup
Los Angeles will go with Yoshinobu Yamamoto to start Game 2. He dominated September, posting a 0.67 ERA over 27 innings and striking out 34 batters. That was enough to earn him NL Pitcher of the Month honors. He enters the postseason with a 2.49 ERA, 201 strikeouts, and a 0.99 WHIP, making him arguably the Dodgers’ best arm in October.
The Reds are going to go with Zack Littell to start this game on the bump. Littell went 10-8 this season with a 3.81 ERA. Littell had a 4.91 ERA in the month of September and will try to help his team avoid a two-game sweep to end their season.
Key Players
- Shohei Ohtani: The NL MVP favorite delivered two home runs in Game 1 and will continue to cause problems for opposing pitchers in this game.
- Elly De La Cruz: The catalyst in the Reds’ offense drove in two runs for the Reds in Game 1. He will need to be great to help his team get a win in Game 2.
Recent team streaks
The Dodgers have won six games in a row after their win on Tuesday night over Cincinnati. That loss for the Reds was their second in a row after they lost their regular-season finale against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop Type | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| Shohei Ohtani | Home runs | Over 0.5 |
| Elly De La Cruz | Total bases | Over 1.5 |
| Yoshinobu Yamamoto | Strikeouts | Over 6.5 |
Betting Trends & H2H
- The Dodgers are 6-1 against the Reds after winning Game 1 of this series at home.
- Los Angeles is 53-29 at home including Game 1 of the Wild Card round.
- Cincinnati’s road record is 38-44 following Tuesday’s loss.
- The first game of this series went over the total. There were 15 total runs scored.
- The Dodgers have won four straight games over the Reds by three runs or more.
Reds vs Dodgers Game 2 Model Projection
Score Projection: Reds 2 – Dodgers 5
Win Probability: Reds 25%, Dodgers 75%
Final Thoughts
The Reds’ best chance to win a game in this series was likely Game 1, when they had Hunter Greene on the mound. They failed to take advantage of that opportunity and will likely see their season come to an end on Wednesday night. I recommend laying the runline with the Dodgers as a home favorite here, as their offense will likely not slow down against Zack Littell.
