The best-of-seven National League Championship Series gets underway Sunday between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets, with the winner earning a spot in the World Series.
The NL West champion Dodgers defeated the rival San Diego Padres in the NLDS, overcoming a 2-1 series deficit, with their pitchers tossing 24 consecutive scoreless innings to close out the series. Championship favorites entering 2024 with the addition of Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers are in the NLCS for the sixth time since 2016.
The Mets had a rocky road to get to their first NLCS since 2015, bottoming out at 11 games under .500 in early June before a summer turnaround. New York has had a flair for the dramatic, pulling off stunning comeback wins to clinch a playoff berth and then win the NL wild-card series, ultimately dispatching the Philadelphia Phillies in a wild NLDS between teams that had never met in the postseason.
Jack Flaherty starts Game 1 for the Dodgers, with Kodai Senga taking the mound for the Mets.
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Dodgers vs Mets Game 1 time
First pitch for NLCS Game 1 is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET at Dodger Stadiujm.
Dodgers vs Mets TV channel
TV: FOX
Stream: Watch this game on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply)
Mets lineup for Game 1
Francisco Lindor (S) SS
Mark Vientos (R) 3B
Brandon Nimmo (L) LF
Pete Alonso (R) 1B
Starling Marte (R) RF
Jesse Winker (L) DH
Jose Iglesias (R) 2B
Tyrone Taylor (R) CF
Francisco Alvarez (R) C
Dodgers lineup
Shohei Ohtani (L) DH
Mookie Betts (R) RF
Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
Teoscar Hernández (R) LF
Will Smith (R) C
Max Muncy (L) 3B
Enrique Hernández (R) CF
Gavin Lux (L) 2B
Tommy Edman (S) SS
Mets NLCS roster: Jeff McNeil added, Ottavino out
LOS ANGELES — The New York Mets are fully healthy heading into their National League Championship Series against the Dodgers.
The Mets announced their NLCS roster with second baseman Jeff McNeil as a notable inclusion after missing more than a month with a fractured wrist. To make room for McNeil, the Mets removed right-handed reliever Adam Ottavino for the best-of-seven series against the Dodgers.
McNeil has not played since Sept. 6 when he was removed from a game against the Reds after being hit on the right arm. Before the injury, McNeil was coming into his own in the second half, batting .289 with a .923 OPS, including seven home runs, 12 doubles, 20 RBI and 22 runs in 41 games after the All-Star break.
– Andrew Tredinnick, NorthJersey.com
