MLB Playoff Bracket 2024: Early NLCS Odds, TV Schedule and Predictions

The New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers will meet within the NLCS for the second time of their franchise histories.

The Dodgers solidified the matchup on Friday with an NLDS Recreation 5 win over the San Diego Padres.

Los Angeles will probably be making its sixteenth NLCS look, essentially the most of any NL crew, and it’ll attempt to get again to the World Sequence for the primary time because it gained the Fall Basic in 2020.

The Mets already took down the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies throughout their magical run by way of the postseason.

New York has two further days of relaxation forward of the Dodgers earlier than Sunday’s Recreation 1 at Dodger Stadium. Nevertheless, that may not imply a lot within the collection as a result of the Dodgers may have a day without work to reset earlier than the collection begins.

The Dodgers personal the sting in playoff expertise over the Mets, however a lot will probably be made about certainly one of their first-time NLCS individuals: Shohei Ohtani.

To Win Sequence

Los Angeles Dodgers (-180; wager $180 to win $100)

New York Mets (+150; wager $100 to win $150)

NLCS Schedule

Sunday, October 13: Recreation 1 at Los Angeles (8:15 p.m. ET, Fox)

Monday, October 14: Recreation 2 at Los Angeles (4:08 p.m. ET, Fox)

Wednesday, October 16: Recreation 3 at New York Mets (8:08 p.m. ET, FS1)

Thursday, October 17: Recreation 4 at New York Mets (Time TBD)

Friday, October 18: Recreation 5 at New York Mets (Time TBD)

Sunday, October 20: Recreation 6 at Los Angeles (Time TBD)

Monday, October 21: Recreation 7 at Los Angeles (Time TBD)

The Mets prolonged their unbelievable postseason run with an NLDS win over the Phillies that was completed off by Francisco Lindor’s Recreation 4 grand slam.

Lindor and Pete Alonso will probably be anticipated to hold the Mets within the star-studded collection, however different gamers may very well be very important to the success in opposition to the Dodgers.

Mark Vientos had the most effective hitting collection in opposition to the Phillies with 9 hits in 16 at-bats.

The pitching employees got here by way of as effectively. All the Mets starters held the Phillies to 3 runs or fewer.

New York has the formulation in place to fight the Dodgers, particularly relating to pitching.

The Mets can trot out Sean Manaea, Luis Severino, Jose Quintana and Kodai Senga over the primary 4 video games and have David Peterson in reserve to again up any of them.

Senga is the most important wild-card going into the NLCS as a result of he solely pitched two innings in his shock Recreation 1 begin. Extra size from Senga may hand the Mets an excellent stronger benefit over a Dodgers rotation that’s weak on the again finish.

A collection victory would put the Mets again within the World Sequence for the primary time since 2015, they usually may probably meet their cross-town rival, the New York Yankees, within the Fall Basic for the second time in historical past.

The Dodgers have persistently been the most effective regular-season groups within the majors.

However postseason success has not come straightforward for the Dodgers, particularly since their World Sequence triumph in 2020.

The Dodgers averted a 3rd straight NLDS exit by the hands of a divisional foe with their come-from-behind collection win over the San Diego Padres.

Teoscar Hernandez and Enrique Hernandez delivered the massive residence runs within the series-clinching win over the Padres.

The Dodgers acquired contributions from up and down their order to get previous San Diego, and that’s what makes them harmful to New York’s starters.

It isn’t all Shohei Ohtani or Mookie Betts. Teoscar Hernandez had a unbelievable season within the No. 4 spot, Enrique Hernandez has 14 profession residence runs and there is nonetheless Max Muncy and Will Smith sitting in the midst of the order.

At its finest, Los Angeles’ lineup is extra rounded than New York’s set of hitters, and that order is loaded with postseason expertise.

The Dodgers should depend on their lineup over a number of video games due to how their rotation units up. Jack Flaherty and Walker Buehler will most definitely throw Video games 1 and a couple of, Yoshinobu Yamamoto ought to pitch in Recreation 3, however after that, there isn’t any beginning depth.

If the collection lasts six or seven video games, the Dodgers could have some taxed bullpen arms, which is why it’s crucial for the lineup to have a number of large video games. That would both finish the collection early, or present some aid to among the high-leverage arms.

The Mets are the new crew with all of the postseason magic, however the Dodgers can counter that with celebrity energy and postseason expertise.

The Dodgers appeared to determine their pitching in Video games 4 and 5 by holding San Diego to zero runs over 18 innings.

The Dodgers want their high bullpen arms to carry out on the identical stage at the beginning of the collection to again up what they hope are high quality begins from Flaherty and Buehler.

Los Angeles can also be geared up to win high-scoring video games, prefer it did within the 7-5 Recreation 1 over the Padres.

The Mets can win that means too, however they’re a bit behind the Dodgers relating to top-to-bottom energy.

Muncy, Smith and others may very well be the X-factors in sure video games for the Dodgers and that might resolve the collection.

Prediction: Los Angeles over New York Mets in 6 video games.

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