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The 2024 National League Championship Series matchup is set!
Starting Sunday, the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers will clash with a trip to the World Series on the line.
After the Mets booked their first NLCS trip since 2015 when Francisco Lindor delivered a Game 4 grand slam to knock out the Philadelphia Phillies, the Dodgers eliminated the San Diego Padres with a 2-0 NLDS Game 5 win in Los Angeles.
What have we learned about each of these teams so far? What does each side need to do to punch a ticket to the Fall Classic? And who could be the NLCS difference-makers? ESPN MLB experts Jorge Castillo, Alden Gonzalez and David Schoenfield break it all down.
Jump to: Mets | Dodgers
Contents
New York Mets
What’s the most impressive thing about the Mets this postseason?
Castillo: The Mets’ lineup is relentless. They might not match the Dodgers’ star power, but their lineup is as deep as any in baseball. They can beat you 1 through 9. They conduct smart at-bats. They have a knack for huge hits in the clutch. And they pounce on bullpens. Look no further than Game 4 of the NLDS when, after they left the bases loaded in each of the first two innings against Phillies starter Ranger Suarez, Francisco Lindor cracked the go-ahead grand slam off Carlos Estevez, Philadelphia’s best reliever, in the sixth. One day it’s Lindor. The next it’s Mark Vientos or Pete Alonso or Brandon Nimmo or Jose Iglesias. Or someone else. There aren’t any holes in the lineup, and that could be an NL pennant-winning recipe.
Schoenfield: The Mets actually have the most starting pitching depth of any team left in the playoffs, with six reasonable options if you include Kodai Senga (who started Game 1 against the Phillies but isn’t stretched out yet). Sean Manaea pitched a gem in NLDS Game 3 against the Phillies with seven scoreless innings, and the Mets just win when he pitches — they’re 16-4 in his past 20 starts. Jose Quintana has allowed just one unearned run…
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