The Los Angeles Dodgers once again had a dominant performance offensively and are one win away from advancing to the World Series.
Since the NLCS moved to Citi Field, Los Angeles has hosted Queens and outscored the Mets 18-2.
The Amazons are on the verge of being eliminated from the playoffs and will be running David Peterson for Friday night's Game 5, while the Dodgers will be countering with Jack Flaherty.
The Mets opted to start Peterson out of the bullpen in October, but given that he hasn't logged more than three innings in the last four games he appeared in relief, it's a difficult position for him to play. I don't think there is. his first postseason start.
dodgers outlook
There has been a lot of discussion about the Dodgers' lack of pitching depth this season. In the end, the team's staff suffered injuries to starting pitchers Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow, Dustin May, River Ryan, Tony Gonsolin, and Gavin Stone, all of whom were unable to pitch in the playoffs.
But even with those injuries, the Dodgers may still have the best starting pitching staff of the remaining four teams competing for the pennant.
Flaherty has integrated into Los Angeles fairly smoothly since coming over from Detroit in a trade. He started 10 games for the Dodgers, posting a 6-2 record with a 3.58 ERA and 1.28 WHIP.
It was Flaherty who led the Dodgers to a 1-0 start in the series opener, pitching seven shutout innings and a 9-0 victory over the Mets.
The Mets have batted just .209 against him in 93 at-bats with a strikeout rate of 24.7%. They also have no wins in two career games against right-handed pitchers.
Mets outlook
Carlos Mendoza's decision to start Peterson is a risk, but it's unclear whether he has many other options.
If starting pitcher Kodai Senga had looked healthy, he probably would have been the pitcher receiving the ball in such an important game.
Chiga started the first game against the Dodgers, but his ball speed dropped significantly and he allowed three runs on two hits and four walks, and was unable to make it through the second inning.
Peterson entered the game in the third inning, but wasn't very good. He allowed 4 hits and 3 runs (2 earned runs) in 2 1/3 innings.
Nevertheless, Coach Mendoza expressed confidence in Peterson's ability to pitch in such an important game when he met with the media.
“He's completely rested. He's one of our starters, one of our best starters,” Mendoza told the Post. “I feel like he's going to give us the best chance.”
To be fair, the Mets are 2-1 against the Dodgers with Peterson on the mound. Their only loss was a 10-3 loss in early May when the left-handed pitcher made his season debut.
This will be Peterson's first postseason start of his career, but this Dodgers batting lineup rarely allows opposing pitchers to settle into games.
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Dodgers vs. Mets predictions
The Dodgers do a great job of putting pressure on their team right from the start of the game. When Shohei Ohtani steps up to bat, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman hit triples. All three of these hitters are former MVP winners.
In the past two games at Citi Field, the Dodgers have scored one run within the first two innings. Conceding early goals like this can weaken the opponent's momentum and completely take away the excitement of the home crowd heading into the game.
The Dodgers have great numbers against Peterson. In 72 at-bats, he has a batting average of .343, wOBA of .420, and xSLG of .620.
Peterson will also be the second consecutive starting left-handed pitcher they will face, meaning hitters won't have to do much to change their approach.
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The Dodgers have been the better team in this series since the two teams met in the regular season, and I expect them to end this magical Mets losing streak on Friday night.
Best bet: Dodgers ML (-135, BetMGM)
Why trust New York Post Betting?
Michael Arinze handicaps most major sports for the New York Post. During his betting career, he has won two 15-leg teasers and a 12-leg parlay, including eight games in the Little League World Series. Most recently, they accurately selected the finalists for the 2024 European Championship and Copa America.
