Mets will attempt to stave off elimination again in Game 6 of the NLCS
There is a path to winning this series for the Mets on the mound
What’s Up with the Mets? 🚩
After an off-day, the Mets will once again attempt to avoid being eliminated as they face the Dodgers in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series in Los Angeles tonight at 8:08 PM ET
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that Jesse Winker will be in the starting lineup as the designated hitter for Game 6
Kodai Senga could be used in any scenario in Game 6, although Mendoza wouldn’t specify the ideal role for him or when he might be used
The Mets held an optional workout at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, but everyone decided to participate
GAME SIX
Match-up: Mets (2-3) vs. Dodgers (3-2)
Where: Dodger Stadium - Los Angeles, CA
Starters: LHP Sean Manaea (2-0, 2.65 ERA) vs. TBD
When: 8:08 PM EDT
Where to Watch: FS1
Hope is the only strategy left for the Mets… ✍️
Last year, during one of several press conferences in the midst of a failing season, Mets owner Steve Cohen said that hope was not a strategy when it came to searching for a desired outcome with the Mets.
But hope maybe all anyone can live on as the Mets are set to resume their best-of-seven National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium tonight in another do-or-die game for this club.
I say that in the most positive of ways.
The playoffs are about hopes and dreams for every team, and every fan of those teams. The last three weeks have afforded all of us - whether you’re a Yankee fan, Met fan, Dodger fan, and so on and so forth - the chance to dream about our favorite team winning the World Series this season.
For the Mets, it’s been 38 years. In that time, the Yankees have won four, the Dodgers have won two, and the Guardians will have to wait at least another year once again as they have not won since 1948.
This is a difficult thing to do. Just ask the Cubs and their fans. People were born, lived long and fruitful lives, created legacies and history all in between never being able to see them win a World Championship in 2016.
And don’t forget the Curse of the Bambino which took the Red Sox 86 years and an improbable run through the ALCS in 2004 to overcome.
For all of the talk and the hype around the Dodgers and Yankees and even the Astros, they have combined for four World Championships since 2001.
Again, this isn’t just talking about them being great so therefore, they’re presumptive champs. Even though some writers and some fans seem to take comfort in doing so.
For the Mets now, they face a most difficult challenge of becoming just the ninth team in history to come back from a 3-1 LCS deficit to win a pennant. They will need to do that against what is now a proven formidable opponent who has outclassed them in three of the five games in this series so far.
But there is a path to the top.
The Mets will be sending their best pitcher in Sean Manaea with an extra day of rest to the mound tonight against any number of Dodger relievers. The Dodger bullpen is great, and they only had to use two of them on Friday night, but all it takes is for one of them to have a bad inning and the game tonight will tilt towards the Mets, if Manaea pitches well.
After all, that’s precisely what happened in Game 2.
Then who knows what might happen if they get to tomorrow. Winner-take-all games can be crazy for both teams.
But for the Mets, getting to a Game 7 of the NLCS would be their next great accomplishment in 2024. They have to capitalize on their tactical advantage on the mound today, as they did in Game 2 six days ago.
We have no choice to employ hope with this strategy. Neither do the Mets. It’s all we have left.
But lets just stop and appreciate all of this for a moment.
The Mets are in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series. They’ve now been in the playoffs in two of the last three seasons under this new owner. You can count on one hand how many times that has happened in franchise history.
They will have at least lasted around 3 weeks longer than anyone ever expected them to whether they win or lose tonight.
Yeah, the Mets may not win this series. The odds are stacked against them even if we can see a path forward through all of this. They will have to achieve this goal in one of the most difficult places in sports for a visiting team to win games.
But they’ve continued to defy the odds time and time again this season, perhaps more than any Met team since 1969. That has made them one of the most memorable teams in club history, up there with the 1969, 1973 and 1986 teams.
Whether they get this done or not.
As I've said before, enjoy this time with the club.
Win or lose.
And, you never know. Especially with this team.
The Championship Chase 🏆
The Yankees defeated the Guardians 5-2 in 10 innings on Saturday to clinch their first American League pennant since 2009, and will await either the Mets or the Dodgers in the World Series
C'mon Sean...we've got faith in you.
Mr. Manaea it is your time to shine , and kick the Bums to the pier, and the next step would be for them to walk the plank into the Pacific Ocean tomorrow night! As Sinatra sang, All or Nothing At All!!