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When a fan base watches its team win a World Series, reach two others and claim nine divisional crowns in the span of a decade, overconfidence should be unavoidable. Los Angeles Dodgers supporters know better, though.
They sport several wounds from the daggers that the Houston Astros, Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks, among others, have plunged through their hearts. If the New York Mets were to add to this litany of postseason lacerations, it would be near unfathomable to trust LA going forward.
The Dodgers were unable to close out the Mets in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, as Jack Flaherty got tagged for eight runs in a 12-6 loss on Friday night. They must now return home and sweat out this resilient group for at least a little longer. A thin starting rotation gives cause for some concern, particularly against New York's versatile lineup, but the Boys in Blue will not be consumed by their past demons. A new day is set to dawn in Chavez Ravine.
The Dodgers are notably better in crucial areas that should spare them the October agony they know all too well. While the Mets will continue to scrap and counter punch in this NLCS, Los Angeles should have enough talent and depth to retrain their playoff muscle memory in 2024.
Dodgers bullpen is more equipped to withstand the pressure this time
Aside from midseason acquisition Michael Kopech, LA's bullpen contains many of the relief pitchers fans have been accustomed to seeing over the last few years. The right-hander is a difference-making addition, however, and the unit as a whole is standing strong on the mound this postseason. Manager Dave Roberts is trusting them to deal the final blow to the Mets in Game 6.
Considering the Dodgers pen has logged a large share of innings in the playoffs, it should be on the verge of exhaustion. However, impressive depth and unforeseen luck have allowed Roberts to keep his guys reasonably fresh, all things considered.
LA's two losses versus New York were largely noncompetitive, which resulted in long reliever Brent Honeywell being assigned mop-up duty. The most trusted hurlers– Kopech, Blake Treinen, Evan Phillips and Daniel Hudson– are now prepared to collectively handle a decent workload on Sunday. There is a definite risk to unloading the bullpen and still falling short, which would put overwhelming pressure on Walker Buehler or Yoshinobu Yamamoto in a potential Game 7, but this group deserves the benefit of the doubt right now.
Clinching an NL pennant in such a manner would be quite euphoric for a franchise that has been forced to contend with questions about its pitching staff almost all yearlong. Even so, the job will not be completed in a strict pitching duel. A big boost is needed from the bats. And I think they will answer the call.
A balanced and red-hot lineup will propel LA past the Mets
The Dodgers entered the 2023 MLB playoffs with a stout top-half of their lineup, but they hardly made a sound against the Diamondbacks (.177 batting average as a team). President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has sought to minimize the effects of a slump by strengthening the offense with splashy and savvy moves. The results are paying dividends in the 2024 NLCS.
Shohei Ohtani is excelling versus the Mets, posting a .333 average and .917 OPS that has compelled pitchers to walk him eight times through the first five games. Mookie Betts is following the lead of his fellow superstar and putting his past playoff shortcomings behind him, batting .363 with two home runs and eight RBIs. Beyond the alphas, Dave Roberts is receiving important contributions from the supposed secondary hitters.
Max Muncy amassed a historic postseason on-base streak that just ended, Tommy Edman has notched multiple clutch hits and Kike Hernandez shockingly continues to be one of the most prolific playoff producers of his time. From top to bottom, the Dodgers are pouncing on opponents. Championships are built on a healthy balance of big-time mashers and unlikely heroes, and this club appears to have finally perfected the formula.
Los Angeles has scored six or more runs in three consecutive games. If the team hits that mark against Sean Manaea and New York on Sunday night, its clubhouse should be filled with champagne.
Redemption is coming
The Mets have made it clear this is not a David vs. Goliath story. They are carrying more than just a slingshot and possess the means to crush the Dodgers and their fans in their own house. This is not a clumsy giant they are facing, though. LA is built to survive a rousing rally, veteran pitchers or the other October perils that have devoured the franchise in recent years.
But no one is going to exhale until the final out is recorded. Game 6 starts at 8:08 p.m. ET in Dodger Stadium.
