Morning Briefing: A Bad Case of Dodger Blues

Good morning, Mets fans! The last four times the Mets were shutout, they won the next game. (And that includes Game 2 of this very series.)

Kiké Hernández hit his 15th postseason home run (200 at-bats) and Shohei Ohtani hit a 410-foot, three-run blast as the Dodgers spoiled the first NLCS game at Citi Field in nine years with an 8-0 victory over New York to take a 2-1 series lead. The Mets’ offense was held to four singles. In NLCS Game 1, the Mets were held to three singles.

The Mets left eight men on base and went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. Down 2-0 in the second inning, the Mets loaded the bases with one out, but Walker Buehler fanned Francisco Alvarez and Francisco Lindor to get out of it.

Ohtani has 17 hits in his last 20 at-bats with runners in scoring position going back to the regular season. That’s the most by any player over any 20 at-bat span with RISP in the last 50 years, according to StatsPerform.

Jose Quintana (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 11 innings) will look to help the Mets even the series Thursday when he goes up against Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1-0, 5.63 ERA, eight innings). Quintana hasn’t allowed an earned run in five of his last six starts. Yamamoto hasn’t pitched more than five innings in a start since June 7. Game 4 is at 8:08 p.m. ET on FS1.

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Carlos Mendoza said post-game that he doesn’t think he will change his lineup a lot for Game 4. He wants right-handed hitters to play because Yamamoto has reverse splits, meaning he’s tougher on lefties. He said Alvarez will start and Jeff McNeil won’t.

Kodai Senga is likely to pitch in Game 5, but Mendoza said it won’t necessarily be as the starter. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Jack Flaherty will start Game 5.

Free agent RHP Shintaro Fujinami, who struggled in the minor leagues for the Mets organization this year, plans to play in the Puerto Rican Winter League with the hope of attracting an MLB offer for next season, according to MLB Trade Rumors.

Sources told journalist Francys Romero that 19-year-old Cuban RHP Yoandri Gonzalez has a deal with the Mets. Romero reports that the deal will be official in the coming days. Romero posted a video of Gonzalez pitching on X.

If there is a Subway Series, Precious Achiuwa and Josh Hart of the New York Knicks will be rooting for different teams.

Latest MLB News

Yankees RHP Clarke Schmidt (0-0, 3.86 ERA, 4 2/3 innings) faces Guardians LHP Matthew Boyd (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 6 2/3 innings) in Game 3 of the ALCS in Cleveland at 5:08 p.m. ET. The Yankees lead the series 2-0.

White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, 88, is open to selling the team, sources told Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic. He is in discussions with a group led by retired pitcher Dave Stewart. Reinsdorf is the second-longest active owner in MLB, trailing only the Steinbrenner family.

Three-time batting champ Luis Arráez of the Padres underwent thumb surgery and posted a photo on X from his hospital bed. He said he played in pain for “half of the season.” The procedure was a success and he is “focused on healing and getting back.”

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Alexis Farinacci watched to the bitter end and recapped the Mets’ Game 3 loss to the Dodgers.

Brian Wright wrote a wonderful piece on the anniversary of the Mets winning the 1969 World Series. It was a miracle, just like the moon landing.

Michael Mayer wrote about Mets outfield prospect Drew Gilbert‘s first Arizona Fall League home run.

On This Date in Mets History

1999: Robin Ventura‘s “grand slam single” wins Game 5 of the NLCS against the Braves. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 15th inning, Ventura hit the ball over the wall in right center. Todd Pratt, the runner on first, lifted up Ventura before he reached second base and the celebration was on. Ventura never touched home and is credited with a single in the record books.

2013: The Dodgers claimed ex-Met Mike Baxter of Whitestone, Queens, off waivers.

2015: Matt Harvey strikes out nine in 7 2/3 innings and Daniel Murphy and Travis d’Arnaud homer as the Mets beat the Cubs 4-2 in Game 1 of the NLCS at Citi Field.

Born On This Date: Rich Folkers, (1946), Mark Johnson, (1967), Chris Mazza, (1989), Rafael Montero (1990).

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