MLB insider sees Mets' starting pitchers Luis Severino, Jose Quintana "more stable" than Dodgers' Walker Buehler, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty
The New York Mets came out in force on Monday after losing Game 1 to the LA Dodgers. They tied the series with their 7-3 win largely thanks to solid pitching and timely hitting.
With the series tied, the momentum has shifted to New York's corner. They will look to keep that momentum with Game 3 slated for Wednesday with the first pitch taking place at 8:08 pm ET.
While many had the Dodgers picked as World Series champions before the season started, some are starting to backpedal. MLB insider Ken Rosenthal gives the Mets' starting rotation an edge over the Dodgers during a recent airing of Foul Territory.
"[Yoshinobu] Yamamoto has yet to go more than five innings since coming off the injured list," said Rosenthal.
There is no dancing around it, the Dodgers' starting rotation has battled injuries all season long. It has been a game of musical chairs with their rotation, and while they have gotten some arms back, they are still not at full strength.
"Whereas the Mets, it's a little bit more stable. You've got [Luis] Severino, you've got [Jose] Quintana, you've got the makings of a reasonable flow. Now, the problem there is I don't know if the bullpen can hold down the Dodgers in the late innings" said Rosenthal.
The one thing that does scare Rosenthal is the state of NY's bullpen. The late innings have been a struggle for the club this season with Edwin Diaz taking a step back after his World Baseball Classic injury.
Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso have been a huge presence for the Mets this postseason
Some players for the Mets have stepped it up so far this postseason. Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso both have gotten hot at the right time and have been mashing home runs left and right.
In their last five games, the duo have combined to hit four home runs. You also cannot forget about Mark Vientos, who hit a bases-loaded home run during Game 2's victory.
Both Alonso and Lindor must stay hot if they want to advance to the World Series. With the talent and depth surrounding the Dodgers' hitters, they can score runs in bunches.
This series is shaping up to be an exciting one. If NY can hold on, it would be their first World Series appearance since 2015 when they lost to the Kansas City Royals.