The 2024 MLB postseason continues Sunday with Game 6 of the NLCS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets. The Mets won Game 5 at Citi Field to extend their season, and force Game 6 at Dodger Stadium. They need another win to force Game 7 on Monday. The Dodgers, meanwhile, will try to clinch the pennant and punch their ticket to the World Series to face the Yankees.
With a possible pennant-clincher coming up Sunday, here is one question for each team heading into NLCS Game 6.
Dodgers: Can they solve Manaea the second time around?
Since lowering his arm slot to mimic Chris Sale on July 30, Manaea has been one of the best pitchers in baseball, and he held the Dodgers to three runs (two earned) in five innings in the Game 2 win. Manaea was not on the mound for two of those runs; he left two inherited runners for reliever Phil Maton, who allowed both to score. The third time through the order got Manaea last time out:
- First time thru lineup: 1 for 7 with two walks and four strikeouts
- Second time thru lineup: 1 for 9 with a home run and three strikeouts
- Third time thru lineup: 0 for 2 with two walks
Manaea cruised through five innings, then walked Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernández to begin the sixth inning, and that was it. His afternoon was over. It really is amazing how often the third time through the penalty rears its ugly head. Even the best pitchers could look razor sharp, but once hitters get that third look at him, the effectiveness wanes.
The Mets will have the right guy on the mound in Game 6. Manaea is their ace and the Mets are 12-3 in his 15 starts since he lowered his arm slot. For the Dodgers to end this series Sunday, they'll have to solve Manaea, preferably before the lineup turns over a third time. You have to expect the Mets to use their bullpen aggressively to keep their season alive, as they did in Game 5.
Mets: Will the offense carry over from Game 5?
New York scored 12 runs in Game 5, including eight in the first three innings, after scoring nine runs total from Games 1-4. They were shut out in Games 1 and 3, and scored only two runs in Game 4. It was the big money players that led the Mets to the Game 5 win: Pete Alonso hit a first inning three-run homer, Starling Marte had four hits, and Francisco Lindor reached base three times.
The Mets also received good work from supporting players Jesse Winker (two hits and a walk) and Francisco Alvarez, who had three hits in Game 5 after having two hits total in the first four games. You can't expect the offense to not strike out again, nor can you expect another 12 runs, but the offense was at best inconsistent in the first four games of the NLCS. For New York's offense, Game 6 needs to look like Game 5, not Games 1-4, especially with the Dodgers having a bullpen game lined up.
"We've had really good swings, really good approach," Alonso said after Game 5. "... We've been having really good at-bats and today things fell for us, things went over the wall for us, and we're going to keep continue having that gritty mentality in the box. We operate as a unit, offensively, defensively, and pitching. We're going to continue doing that. We're going to keep being the gritty team we are."
