Inside The Dodgers

Dodgers News: Mets Reveal Starters For First Two Games of NLCS

Who will start for the Mets at Dodger Stadium?

Eva Geitheim

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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After defeating the San Diego Padres in Game 5 of the National League Division Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers will now face the New York Mets in the NL Championship Series. The Mets have announced who will start the first two games of the best-of-seven series. Kodai Senga will start Game 1, and Sean Manaea will start Game 2 of the series, via SNY Mets.

Senga will get the start in Game 1, but he is not expected to pitch for a long time in the game. Senga, who has only pitched in two games over the regular season and postseason because of a shoulder strain and calf strain, pitched just two innings during Game 1 of the Mets' NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies last Saturday. He gave up one hit, one walk, and one earned run while striking out three in his first start since July.

Senga told reporters Saturday that he does not "anticipate" throwing 100 pitches during Sunday's start, but is unsure of how many innings he will start. The 31-year-old was an MLB All-Star as a rookie in 2023 and has been one of the team's top pitchers when healthy.

Manaea, who ranks top-20 in MLB in both ERA and strikeouts this season, will get the second start of the series for the Mets. He has started two games in the postseason so far, one in the wildcard round and one in the NLDS. Over 12 innings pitched, Manaea has allowed nine hits, three earned runs, and two walks while striking out 10. He had his better start against the Phillies in the NLDS, pitching seven whole innings and allowing just one earned run.

The Mets won each of the NLDS games that either Senga or Manaea started.

After Senga and Manaea start, the series will move to New York, and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza will have to decide which pitchers will start in front of the home crowd. José Quintana and Luis Severino are the other two pitchers who have started for the Mets this postseason.

On the Dodgers side, Jack Flaherty will officially start Game 1 of the series, via Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Flaherty started Game 2 of the Dodgers' NLDS, allowing five hits, four earned runs, and one walk while striking out two over 5.1 innings. The Dodgers went on to lose 10-2 to the Padres.

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Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva graduated from UCLA in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in Communication. She has been covering college and professional sports since 2022.

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