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The Los Angeles Dodgers have a 3-2 lead against the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series, and the media coverage around both teams is leaving no stone unturned. When ESPN's Aiden Gonzalez asked whether Shohei Ohtani was available to pitch in Games 6 or 7, manager Dave Roberts provided a curt response.
“He is not,” Roberts said. “Thank you for asking.”
The Mets are coming off a historic Game 5 win, per Sarah Langs.
“The Mets are the first team to not strike out in a postseason game since the Angels in Game 2 of the 2002 World Series. 11th such postseason instance overall and the 3rd in the expansion era (1961).”
The series heads back to Los Angeles for Games 6 and 7 after a rest day on Saturday.
Dodgers looking to get back on track to seal NL pennant
Los Angeles hoped Jack Flaherty from Game 1 would show up on Friday. He did not and his poor play was broken down by MLB Network's Dan Plesac.
“He was a completely different guy. Game 1, he threw seven scoreless innings. His ball had a lot of life on it…There's a big difference 90 and 94 [miles-per-hour], and I think he paid the price for that,” Plesac explained. “So what happens? You're like ‘Okay, well he should've had a good slider.' Well, think about it. If you don't have arm speed throwing 94 to 96, you're not gonna have the same arm speed throwing your slider.
“They marry each other together, right? If you've got a quick arm, you're gonna have a better slider,” Plesac continued. “It's gonna have more break, it's gonna be more steep, you're gonna have better velo. It was a different Flaherty from Game 1 to the game at Citi Field, and it was just a different guy.”
The Dodgers will be counting on their bullpen in Game 6. That didn't pan out well for them in Game 2. In that contest, Landon Knack was lit up, allowing five hits, three walks and five earned runs in two innings.
The Mets had a solid outing from Sean Manaea, as he gave up two hits, four walks, two earned runs and struck out seven in five innings.
Dave Roberts is considering sitting Freddie Freeman again for Game 6, per The Athletic's Andy McCullough.
“I’m going to have a conversation with him tomorrow,” Roberts explained. “But I do think that his swing is not right. I’m certain it’s the ankle. We’ll have that conversation, but it’s certainly an option to not have him in there for Game 6, yes.”
When asked about his swing, Freeman didn't seem optimistic.
“It’s like you’re running a 100-meter hurdles, I keep hitting the same hurdle, and I run right into it every time,” Freeman told reporters. “It is what it is, and I’m doing the best I can. I’ll get a lot of treatment tomorrow and try to fix this swing.”
The Dodgers are seeking their fourth pennant since 2017.
