Monday is a travel day for the National League. Both series are knotted up 1-1 as they head to the homes of the lower seeds. Nick Castellanos’ walk-off hit capped off a back-and-forth affair in Philadelphia yesterday, squaring things with the Mets. The Padres had a much more convincing (but still drama-filled) beatdown of the Dodgers to tie that series.
The latter has a couple health situations to monitor. Freddie Freeman and Xander Bogaerts each departed yesterday’s game. Bogaerts’ absence was on accounting of hamstring cramping and came after the Padres had taken a six-run lead. That seemed precautionary at the time, and skipper Mike Shildt said today that the team’s belief is that it was simply a result of dehydration (X link via Annie Heilbrunn of the San Diego Union-Tribune). Freeman has had a bigger problem, playing through a sprained right ankle. L.A. manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic) this evening that Freeman was receiving treatment; his status for tomorrow’s game remains uncertain.
San Diego looks to have the distinctive edge from a pitching perspective for Game 3. They’ll turn to righty Michael King, owner of a 2.95 ERA in the regular season. Los Angeles counters with the scuffling Walker Buehler, who allowed more than five earned runs per nine this year after returning from his second career Tommy John surgery.
Neither team has named a starter for Game 4. Shildt kept open the possibility of turning back to Game 1 starter Dylan Cease on short rest on Wednesday (X link via AJ Cassavell of MLB.com). They’d presumably only do that if they lose tomorrow and are facing elimination in Game 4. Roberts has already shot down the possibility of bringing his Game 1 starter, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, back on short rest. That very likely leaves L.A. to turn to rookie Landon Knack in the fourth game.
There’s more clarity on the pitching plans in the NL’s other series. The pair of NL East rivals have already named starters for both games that’ll take place in Queens. It’s a matchup between Aaron Nola and Sean Manaea tomorrow. They’ve both had good seasons, though Manaea was a bit better than Nola was down the stretch.
It’ll be a pair of southpaws on Wednesday. Philadelphia turns to Ranger Suárez, while the Mets counter with José Quintana. Quintana followed up a brilliant September with six scoreless innings to help keep the Mets alive in the rubber match of their Wild Card series in Milwaukee. Suárez has yet to pitch this postseason. He’s generally as good as any fourth starter in MLB. Suárez looked as if he’d even be in the Cy Young conversation early in the year, but he was hit hard in September after losing a month to a back injury. He finished the season with a 3.46 ERA through 150 2/3 innings.
Philadelphia will have Zack Wheeler in reserve if the series goes to a decider. New York is expected to counter in a potential Game 5 with Kodai Senga, who managed two innings on 31 pitches in his return from the 60-day injured list last week.
Which two teams will punch their ticket to the NLCS later this week?
Ranger Danger19
Padres and Phillies in 5
FletcherFan
Couldn’t be the Orioles! Not only are they not in the NL, but they aren’t even in the postseason anymore!!! Sell the team Rubenstein!
Very Barry
Orioles fans are really starting to get angry ….. 42 years man ……. 42 years!
Floyd Rayford's cat
But they’re close!
DarkSide830
I believe the same.
CardsFan57
I have no idea on either one. It will be fun to watch though.
Misty Moobs
Padres are way better and don’t have a terrible fan base so pretty obvious they will win
Put John Sterling in Sarco Pod ASAP
Most popular teams have a big section of garbage fans. I’ve seen many padres fans drunkenly start something because of a jersey same as LA. Pittsburgh, Philly, Boston are especially bad, much more mob mentality when you’re in a homogenous area for fandom.
Blue Baron
Misty Moobs: Fanbases have no effect on the outcomes.
FletcherFan
Do you have any academic literature to back that up?
Blue Baron
FletcherFan: It’s not an academic inquiry. Agree or disagree as you choose.
Put John Sterling in Sarco Pod ASAP
@bluebaron I would normally agree with you, but throwing stuff on the field causing a delay essentially “ices” a pitcher. I’d like to see a warning system. If some fans keep pushing it, then you punish the home team. If they keep throwing stuff, automatic forfeit or like inning ends there for the home team on offense.
fox471 Dave
They are not going to cause a team to forfeit during a playoff series. It just won’t happen.
Mojo37
Last night’s display by some fans at Dodger Stadium is indefensible. But you can’t indict the entire fan base based on a few drunken morons. Pads have a great team. Dodger starters are in tatters. But “Padres way better”?
Also wrong.
Brew88
Mojo. So true, it’s not the fanbase it’s a few bad seeds. But no excuses, both teams are dealing with a lot of injuries, the deepest team will win.
Mojo37
Agreed Brew. Hope it goes 5. More baseball is a good thing.
fox471 Dave
Moobs- nonsense!
Luis_Fazenda
The Dodgers rotation isn’t going to cut it.
Canuckleball
The projected LA starters for the next few games have to leave Dodger fans a little uneasy. At the moment, it feels like the pendulum has swung toward the Padres.
Things can change, obviously, but right now the Pads have to be the favorites.
The Mets/Phillies series feels like a toss up right now.
Yankee Clipper
Phillies/Pads NLCS, imho. My question is: how secure is Dave Roberts’ job if they get bounced in the division series again?
ACK
If the Padres beat the Dodgers, than you need to look at Andrew Friedman not Dave Roberts. 20 years ago the manager made the lineup & decision when to pull SP . In 2024 it is the FO making those decisions. Friedman is using Dave Roberts as a shield.
fox471 Dave
Prove it, ACK.
Brew88
Roberts comments to the media this afternoon about Manny throwing at him in the dugout sure wasn’t supported by video, and makes him look like a complete loser.
Mojo37
Brew..
love to see that video. You have the link?
Brew88
I’d like to see it too. And that was my point
Mojo37
Ha!
Brew88
Playing the victim after last night is rich. Roberts is only inciting more bottle throwing or worse, assuming there’s a game 5 in the ravine. A leader should take a higher road.
Gwynning
It’s no surprise to anyone- Manny always tosses the infield ball to the 3rd base dugout. I think the Dodgers are just circling the wagons around Flaherty’s jawing from the top step, which is their prerogative… but looks silly to hide behind a false narrative. Whatever, just manufactured drama. Give me the game between the lines and may the better team win!
Idk why Clip, but Doc’s job seems just as secure as Cashman’s!
OldSaltUSN
I’ve always respected Dave Roberts, even when some (mostly LAD fans) were ragging on him. I also understand his intent to back up his ballplayers, and fan their (apparently, based upon his own words) lagging energy and enthusiasm.
However, claiming Machado tossed a ball at him “with intent”, is weak sauce. Worse yet, it’s a ridiculous lie. Any respect I ever had for Roberts is gone, zip, zero, nadda. Machado is 10x the ballplayer and leader that Roberts ever was, or ever will be.
Citizen1
Id say roberts job not very secure. Burns all his starters to win the division and dodgers come up short in the post. If Ohtani says otherwise, Roberts stays on 1 more year
Warden of the North(acoss13)
Death and taxes. Boone and Roberts are going nowhere.
fox471 Dave
Yankee clipper: i doubt that Roberts will be fired, if the Dodgers lose. That is not to say he shouldn’t be fired. He has been given outstanding teams over the years and only one WS to show for it. At some point, the Dodgers need to move on from Roberts. If a manager like Mattingly or Torre had these teams, I truly believe flags would be flying.
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
Padres did it last year they have the dodgers number and the Mets have that it factor on their side
SadMsFan
I want the Padres to win. Dodgers fans are just awful-so rude. Them throwing the ball and other items at Profar…bot cool at all.
I want the miracle Mets to win, just because that’d be cool if they did. I always root for the underdogs.
So rooting for the Tigers and Royals as well.
YankeesBleacherCreature
You do you but “miracle Mets”???
Ma4170
Are the mets considered that much of an underdog? I know Phillies are favored, but mets had best record in baseball last four months. Its not like they came out of nowhere suddenly.
warnbeeb
Tigers in 4
Royals in 5
Misty Moobs
Can’t wait for Ohtani to strike out to end the dodgers season. About time for baseball’s golden boy
Mojo37
Ain’t jealousy grand
fox471 Dave
Hey Misty, you got two upvotes for your dumb comment about Ohtani. Keep up the good work. You are apparently not alone.
OldSaltUSN
Ohtani has been nothing but talent, hard work, and class. I’m saying that as a Padres fan. I can’t understand why anyone would want to seem him “fall” like that. I hope the Padres keep him contained, the way that Darvish was able to. EVERY hitter can be pitched to, can be beat. It takes a very good pitcher, and it takes execution.
Any pitcher’s margin of error against Ohtani is very, very small. Darvish did it by mixing off-speed stuff. Power pitchers will need to pitch to power outside, and with varied off-speed inside. Just challenging him is a mistake, particularly when he’s as hot as he’s been recently.
Warden of the North(acoss13)
I picked Phillies and Padres for the NLCS. Rematch of 2022! I’ve no idea who’d win, both teams are really good.
3 finger split
.I’m watching the Padres vs Dodgers game as all the lowlife fans started throwing baseballs at Profar and then Tatis and wondered if the umpires would call a forfeit and then I remembered the last time that happened was in 1995 and the umpires declared a forfeit of a game because fans threw baseballs at players on the field and guess where it was…YUP…DODGER Stadium…I guess the total lack of class is generational.
fox471 Dave
3 finger – all the fans threw baseballs at Profar? Really! Geez. Is he ok?
Crunchtime1969
The Dodgers lack leadership. Crybabies. Their fans are brutal. No class. Their stadium smells like piss. Their hotdogs are horrible. All they have going for them is a fat wallet.
Biggavelli
Mets in 4 padres in 5