LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — The Philadelphia Phillies, holding a slim lead in the National League playoff race, open a critical three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night at Dodger Stadium.

The Phillies (89-61) enter with a five-game edge over the Dodgers (84-65) in the standings, making this series a pivotal opportunity for Los Angeles to close the gap. Philadelphia is coming off a 10-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Sunday, which snapped a three-game winning streak. Despite the loss, J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber provided power, each hitting a solo home run.

Los Angeles arrives with momentum after a dominant 10-2 road victory over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. Tyler Glasnow delivered a strong start, pitching 6 2/3 innings while allowing one run on three hits. Michael Conforto led the offense, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs.

The season series between the clubs, played in Philadelphia in early April, was tightly contested. The Phillies took two of three games, including an 8-7 win in the rubber match.

Statistical projections offer a conflicting outlook. Interstat’s game simulator forecasts an 8-5 victory for the Phillies. However, the same outlet’s ELO rating system gives the Dodgers a slight 51.9% probability to win. Betting markets favor Los Angeles as a -1.5 run favorite, with an over/under set at 8.5 runs.

Following this series, the Phillies continue their West Coast trip with three games in Arizona. The Dodgers remain at home for a four-game set against the rival Giants starting Thursday.