In Philadelphia, the pressure has reached a boiling point. The Phillies won the World Series in 2008, and it’s been 17 years since then. The city is hungry for championship glory, and the drought is hard on them. Rob Thomson, the team’s manager, and his players are worried about being eliminated, but the team’s owner has made it clear that they can’t lose. It’s not just about winning anymore; it’s about proving that a championship-level team can come through when it counts.

At Citizens Bank Park, the Philadelphia Phillies lost 5-3 to the Dodgers in the first game of their National League Division Series. Teoscar Hernández hit a home run and drove in three runs, which helped the Dodgers take advantage of Philadelphia’s problems on offense. Kyle Schwarber, who hit 56 home runs during the regular season, and the rest of the Phillies’ star-studded lineup went cold when it mattered most. The bullpen let Los Angeles take control at key points, and they won their third straight playoff game. The loss made worries about a possible quick exit that could break up this core group even worse.

Owner John Middleton addressed the urgency with pointed clarity. “I want to bring a World Series championship to Philadelphia,” Middleton told USA TODAY Sports. “This is the best team we’ve had since I became owner, and it’s also the toughest team we’ve ever had. They keep taking punches, get off the canvas, and hit the other team back in the nose… I really think that we are the best team in baseball. Now we have to go out and prove it.” His words carry weight as Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, and Ranger Suarez approach free agency. The window for this roster configuration is closing rapidly.

That statement is put to the test right away in Game 2. The Phillies put Jesús Luzardo on the mound against Blake Snell, who is a Cy Young candidate and has a 2.35 ERA with deadly strikeout stuff. Luzardo gave up 25 home runs this year and has trouble with right-handed hitters. This is a terrible mix when he’s up against Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and the Dodgers’ second-best offense. Thomson’s team needs to shoot. The math is harsh: if you fall behind 2-0, the season could be over in just a few days.

Yet even as Thomson prepares his pitching strategy, another concern threatens to derail the Philadelphia Phillies’ comeback plans. The uncertainty surrounding a key defensive piece could force the manager into difficult roster decisions at the worst possible time.

Harrison Bader’s injury clouds the Phillies’ game 2 plans

The problems go beyond the matchup between the pitchers. Harrison Bader left the field with a groin injury during Saturday’s opener. It’s still unclear if he will be able to play in Game 2, which they must win. The first news was good: his MRI showed no major tear or strain that would end his postseason. The Phillies still can’t afford to lose his defensive skills in center field, especially when they have to face a lineup as dangerous as Los Angeles’.

Thomson offered cautious optimism Sunday when addressing Bader’s condition. “We’ll know more tomorrow, but I think after the game, they stretched him out,” the manager said. “They got him moving around a little bit, and I think he felt a lot better after that. We’ll know whether he’s available to start or at least to pinch hit; we’ll know more tomorrow.” The uncertainty forces Thomson into contingency planning when every decision carries championship-level consequences.

Bader’s leaving the game in the sixth inning meant that the defense had to make changes right away. Nick Castellanos took his place, which moved Brandon Marsh to center and Max Kepler to left field. When Edmundo Sosa pinch-hit for Marsh against lefty Alex Vesia, Thomson changed the lineup again. He moved Weston Wilson to left field and Kepler back to center. In a close playoff game, the constant changes messed up Philadelphia’s defensive rhythm.

Before the injury, Bader helped Philadelphia get off to a strong start with a 3-0 lead. He hit a sacrifice fly and made an amazing diving catch on Andy Pages that stopped the Dodgers from starting a rally. Since the trade deadline, Bader has done well, hitting .305/.361/.463 with five home runs in 50 games. When Blake Snell is on the mound, his elite center field defense becomes even more important. Snell’s swing-and-miss arsenal will force Philadelphia’s hitters to put the ball in play. It could be expensive to lose that defensive anchor.