MLB playoffs: Dodgers to face Yankees in World Series after sealing NLCS over Mets
Tommy Edman and Will Smith homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers eliminated the New York Mets with a 10-5 win on Sunday night in Game 6 of the NL Championship Series.
The Dodgers earned their record 25th NL pennant and first at home since 1988, when they defeated the Mets in seven games. They advanced to their 22nd World Series — the Los Angeles team’s 13th — and their first since 2020, when they defeated Tampa Bay during the pandemic-delayed season.
Next up for Shohei Ohtani and Co are Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees, who are back in the World Series for the first time in 15 years. Game 1 is Friday at Dodger Stadium, featuring Judge (58) and Ohtani (54) – MLB’s best home run hitters this season.
It will be the twelfth time the legendary franchises meet in the World Series and the first in 43 years. The Yankees have defeated the Dodgers eight times, with the Dodgers’ two championships coming against the Bronx Bombers in 1981 and 1955.
Ohtani, playing his first season with the Dodgers after agreeing to a record-setting contract in free agency, had two hits and scored two runs in Game 6. He hit .364 with two home runs and six RBIs in the NLCS. Not bad for his first postseason after spending six years with the Los Angeles Angels, who never had a winning record or reached the playoffs during his tenure.
The Dodgers briefly trailed 1-0 in the first inning before cleanup hitter Edman took a big lead. He drove in the Dodgers’ first four runs and his 11 RBIs in the NLCS tied a franchise record set by Corey Seager in 2020 against Atlanta. Edman joined the Dodgers at the July trade deadline from St. Louis.
The Dodgers eliminated the Mets on their second attempt in the series. They defeated New York 40-26 in the six games. None of the games were close and the Dodgers earned two shutouts. The Mets came within two wins of reaching the World Series after a 22-33 start.
The Dodgers led 2-1 in the first inning after Edman’s double into the leftfield corner off Sean Manaea, which scored Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández, who both singled. Hernández posted an 0-for-18 skid in the NLCS. Manaea needed 34 pitches to get through the first.
With two hits in the third inning, Edman sent a 400-foot shot to left-center for a two-run drive. A walk to Max Muncy and two outs later, Smith homered to center off Phil Maton, extending the lead to 6-1.
The Mets cut the deficit to 6-3 in the fourth. With two outs, Vientos hit a two-run homer – his fifth of the postseason – off Ryan Brasier. Vientos’ first career grand slam highlighted the Mets’ tying goal in Game 2 at Dodger Stadium.
New York failed to convert twice with the bases loaded, a bit of a trend for the Mets in this series. Trailing 6-3 in the sixth, Jesse Winker hit a fly ball against Evan Phillips to end the inning. After a run in the third inning, the Mets loaded the bases against Anthony Banda, then Jeff McNeil struck out swinging.