LIVE: Dodgers-Mets NLCS Game 4 (FS1)
NEW YORK -- In an alternate universe, maybe Yoshinobu Yamamoto is pitching for the Mets instead of the Dodgers. He visited New York while weighing his Major League options, after all, and came away impressed.
But the former Pacific League star instead landed a 12-year, $325 million commitment from the Dodgers, and his Citi Field debut will come against the Mets in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Thursday night, when Yamamoto seeks a repeat of his performance in the NL Division Series clincher against the Padres that pushed L.A. this far.
“I did meet [the Mets] a couple times and I had a good impression, which made it a little hard to make a decision,” said Yamamoto, who’s coming off five scoreless innings in a winner-take-all game against the Padres on Friday. “It's a wonderful organization.”
The Mets will do their best to make a good impression in another way in Game 4. They’ve already bounced back once in this series with a dominant showing in Game 2 at Dodger Stadium after getting shut out in Game 1.
“The guys that are in there got us to this point,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “And I'm pretty confident they'll come through. Yeah, you're playing in the playoffs, and when you're facing a pitching staff like that, it's going to be hard at times. We are creating traffic. I like the fact that we are getting guys on base. We just haven't been able to come up with a big hit, but I'll continue to take my chances with guys.”
Here’s everything you need to know about Game 4:
When is the game and how can I watch it?
Game 4 at Citi Field is live now on FS1.
All games are available in the U.S. on MLB.TV (authentication to a participating Pay TV provider is required). Live games are also available in select countries outside the U.S. For full details, click here.
Who are the starting pitchers?
Dodgers: RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (7-2, 3.00 ERA in the regular season)
Yamamoto is looking to build off his most important start in the Majors, five scoreless innings against the Padres in Game 5 of the National League Division Series. It’ll be Yamamoto’s first road start in the postseason.
Mets: LHP Jose Quintana (10-10, 3.75 ERA in the regular season)
There might not be a pitcher alive in better form than Quintana, who has produced an 0.57 ERA over his last eight starts, including one in each of the previous two postseason rounds. The Mets considered starting Quintana in Game 3 but opted to go with Luis Severino. They’re confident that Quintana, who has yet to allow an earned run in the playoffs, can continue his excellent run.
What are the starting lineups?
Dodgers: With the left-hander Quintana on the mound, the Dodgers slotted Teoscar Hernández third and sat Freddie Freeman, with Max Muncy starting at first and hitting sixth. As he continues to play through a hip injury, Gavin Lux was not in the lineup, with Chris Taylor getting the nod at second base.
1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
2. Mookie Betts, RF
3. Teoscar Hernández, LF
4. Tommy Edman, SS
5. Kiké Hernández, 3B
6. Max Muncy, 1B
7. Will Smith, C
8. Andy Pages, CF
9. Chris Taylor, 2B
Mets: Mendoza raised some eyebrows with his decision to eschew the platoon advantage in starting J.D. Martinez at DH over Jesse Winker in Game 3. He didn't change course in Game 4, given Yamamoto’s reverse splits. Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo flip-flopped spots in the order, and Harrison Bader got his first start of the NLCS over Tyrone Taylor.
1. Francisco Lindor, SS
2. Mark Vientos, 3B
3. Pete Alonso, 1B
4. Brandon Nimmo, LF
5. Starling Marte, RF
6. J.D. Martinez, DH
7. Jose Iglesias, 2B
8. Harrison Bader, CF
9. Francisco Alvarez, C
How will the bullpens line up after each team's starter?
Dodgers: The Dodgers turned to Michael Kopech, Ryan Brasier and Blake Treinen in Game 3, and each of them is expected to be available again in Game 4. The bullpen continues to be the team’s biggest strength, and the club will ride the relievers throughout the rest of the postseason.
Mets: The Mets used Tylor Megill for the final three innings of Game 3, so he’ll be unavailable, but every other Mets reliever should be in play. That includes David Peterson, whom the Mets aren’t necessarily saving for Game 5 bulk work, and of course closer Edwin Díaz. Setup relievers Ryne Stanek and Phil Maton could also shoulder a heavy load.
Any injuries of note?
Dodgers: Freeman, who continues to nurse a badly sprained right ankle, was not in the lineup for Game 4. Daniel Hudson was unavailable in Game 2 because of a leg injury, but the right-hander was available in Game 3 and is expected to make a couple appearances the rest of the series.
Mets: Although McNeil hasn’t seen much live pitching since he fractured his right wrist on Sept. 6, he did pick up 10 plate appearances in the Arizona Fall League and two more so far in the NLCS. Mendoza said McNeil’s contact approach lends itself well to a successful return despite his lack of recent reps. In any case, McNeil is fully healthy and capable of contributing when the Mets call on him.
Separately, Nimmo is playing through plantar fasciitis in his left foot. Although Nimmo aggravated the injury during the NLDS, it hasn’t cost him significant time and is unlikely to do so going forward. For Nimmo, this is a pain tolerance issue.
As for the seven players on the Mets’ injured list -- Paul Blackburn, Christian Scott, Dedniel Núñez, Sean Reid-Foley, Drew Smith, Brooks Raley and Ronny Mauricio -- none of them will return this year.
Who is hot and who is not?
Dodgers: Kiké Hernández delivered the dagger in Game 3, a two-run home run in the sixth inning. He tied Babe Ruth with 15 homers in his postseason career. And though Ohtani continues to struggle with the bases empty, he has 17 hits in his past 20 at-bats with runners in scoring position. That included a mammoth three-run homer to ice Game 3.
Mets: Even in a down game, Vientos managed a hit -- his 15th in 10 postseason games. He has been easily the hottest Met. The coldest might be Alvarez, who finished the regular season strong but has gone 5-for-35 (.143) with 13 strikeouts in the playoffs.
Anything else fans might want to know?
• This is the fourth postseason meeting between the Mets and Dodgers, dating to a 1988 NLCS win for Los Angeles in what’s still considered one of the greatest postseason series. The Mets earned some revenge in the 2006 NLDS, sweeping the Dodgers, and again in a highly entertaining 2015 NLDS win.
• While the Mets led Major League Baseball with a 67-40 record from May 30 through the end of the season, the Dodgers weren’t far behind, at 62-42. Both ranked in MLB’s top five over that stretch.
• With 11 RBIs this postseason, Vientos is one shy of matching Curtis Granderson (2015) and John Olerud (1999) for the most in a single postseason in franchise history.