The New York Mets are on a nice run and it continues in the NLCS. I’ve been getting many messages and texts from various folks talking about how it’s the Mets year. I see where that’s possible, but I must take that a series at a time. That’s how I’m wired.
The Mets’ starting staff is going better than I thought they could, and the bullpen hasn’t been overly leaky. I’m excited that Kodai Senga may throw 80 pitches. That makes the staff so much better.
I think the other key pitcher in this series is David Peterson. He’s pitching like Sid Fernandez did in 1986. Sid could start or come out of the bullpen, and I remember one huge bullpen game. Peterson can do that too and that’s been a key to the bullpen in my mind. Ryne Stanek is another key. He’s been very good lately in big spots.
Jeff McNeil may be on the roster. He’s playing in the Arizona Fall League right now. That could be miraculous for this team and give them that extra flexibility in the lineup and on the field to win this series.
I worry about Mookie Betts getting hot again. Kike Hernandez has 14 postseason home runs, that’s worrisome. Shohei Ohtani hasn’t been great, but I still worry about him, Teoscar Hernandez, and his seven postseason RBI.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto has the stuff, but they pulled him early last game. He’s been hittable. The entire Dodgers pitching staff is hittable. The Dodgers’ starting staff is beat up and there isn’t one single starter to “worry” about. But they can rake, and their bullpen is good enough.
Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso, Moreso Lindor, could decide this series. As the leadoff hitter, a big reason the Mets season turned around, he has been carrying this team and should continue to do so. As he battles a bad back, he has two 2 big home runs and 7 RBI. Alonso has 3 home runs and 6 RBI.
Let’s see what happens. This should be a fun series. I have the Mets in 6. I think they will avenge the 1988 debacle and move on to the World Series. Anything can happen but the Mets are the best comeback team in baseball. They’re hard to beat at this point in the season.