All of the Dodgers must do is win one of many subsequent two video games in opposition to the Mets. They’ll each be in entrance of their house crowd at Dodger Stadium.
Having home-field benefit, nonetheless, doesn’t assure something. Los Angeles has dropped two video games at house already this postseason. The membership is aware of it’ll must play its finest baseball of the season to be able to eradicate the Mets.
How do they get there? Let’s check out three key issues the Dodgers must do to be able to wrap up the NLCS in Sport 6, and at worst, in a decisive Sport 7 on Monday.
1. Get to Manaea earlyThis is fairly apparent, but it surely’s the largest key to a win. The Dodgers struggled in opposition to left-hander Sean Manaea in Sport 2, scoring three runs (two earned) over five-plus innings. Manaea, nonetheless, suffered most of his struggles within the sixth inning after admittedly “hitting a wall” in opposition to the Dodgers’ offense. Los Angeles will hope that occurs even earlier on Sunday.
Getting an early lead has been helpful for the Dodgers all season lengthy. It received’t be any completely different on Sunday.
2. Flip it over to the bullpenAnother purpose attending to Manaea and taking an early lead is important for the Dodgers is as a result of they’re working a bullpen recreation in Sport 6. If Los Angeles falls behind, it’s going to must piece issues along with its aid corps, balancing between going all-in for Sport 6 or saving a few of the membership’s high-leverage arms for Sport 7.
If the Dodgers get forward, nonetheless, supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned he’s ready to be much more aggressive along with his finest relievers. Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech and Evan Phillips are able to pitch two innings if wanted. Although, in fact, that’ll solely occur with a lead.
Given how the Dodgers’ bullpen has carried out this October, there’s little doubt they might be capable to shut the door on the Mets if given the chance.
3. Can the true Freeman and Hernández please rise up?The Dodgers’ offense has been dominant all through the postseason, particularly on this collection in opposition to the Mets. They’ve scored 36 runs via 5 video games. However the offensive assault may very well be even higher — sure, actually — in the event that they obtained Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández performing higher.
Freeman is battling a badly sprained proper ankle and hasn’t seemed like himself. Roberts mentioned the group will contemplate sitting the star first baseman for Sport 6, particularly with Manaea on the mound. Freeman, alternatively, will at all times foyer to be within the beginning lineup. That call will come Sunday morning.
If Freeman is in there, he’ll must be higher than his 3-for-18 (.167) efficiency up so far within the NLCS. He’s nonetheless trying to find his first extra-base hit of the postseason. Freeman mentioned it’s “laborious to say” if the ankle has affected his mechanics as a result of he hasn’t felt proper in fairly a while.
Hernández’s struggles are a bit more durable to elucidate. The Dominican outfielder performed a key position within the Dodgers’ NL Division Collection win over the Padres, however he has actually struggled in opposition to the Mets. Hernández continues to be in search of his first hit of the collection (0-for-18 with 9 strikeouts). Getting a well timed hit in Sport 6, nonetheless, would make everyone overlook about his struggles.
“I believe Teoscar is lacking fastballs. That’s the No. 1 offender,” Roberts mentioned. “I believe they’re simply bullying him with the heater. So mid-line, prime zone, I believe Manaea goes to do the identical factor tomorrow. I believe [if] you possibly can’t hit the fastball and transfer it ahead, you simply expose your self as much as cheat, to get to spin, and that’s the primary factor.”
