After splitting the first two games at Dodger Stadium, the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets resume play as the National League Championship Series shifts to Citi Field.
Walker Buehler makes his second start of the postseason and looks to bounce back from a rough outing against the San Diego Padres in Game 3 of the NL Division Series. Plagued by some defensive miscues, he allowed six runs on seven hits in five innings work.
The Padres scored all six of their runs in the second inning, which included a two-run homer by Fernando Tatis Jr. The Dodgers didn’t do Buehler any favors by playing sloppy defense behind him before Tatis was in position for his homer.
Buehler struggled throughout the regular season in what was his first big league action since 2022. He went just 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA, 5.54 FIP and 1.55 WHIP in 75.1 innings pitched (16 starts).
However, Buehler historically has relished and lived up to big playoff moments. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has continued to speak highly of trusting the right-hander this October.
The Mets counter with Luis Severino, who enjoyed a nice bounce-back season in Queens. After his career with the New York Yankees ended on a sour note, he posted an 11-7 record, 3.91 ERA, 4.21 FIP and 1.24 WHIP in 182 innings across 31 starts.
Severino has posted back-to-back quality starts in the postseason, yielding six combined runs over 12 innings against the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies.
Severino faces a Dodgers lineup that sees the return of Gavin Lux after he missed Game 2 partly due to a minor hip flexor issue. Sean Manaea starting that afternoon for the Mets also was a factor as the Dodgers often platoon Lux.
Lux being back coincides with Will Smith being dropped to batting seventh amid his ongoing postseason struggles.
Dodgers lineup
DH: Shohei Ohtani
RF: Mookie Betts
1B: Freddie Freeman
3B: Max Muncy
LF: Teoscar Hernández
2B: Gavin Lux
C: Will Smith
SS: Tommy Edman
CF: Kiké Hernández
Mets lineup
SS: Francisco Lindor
3B: Mark Vientos
LF: Brandon Nimmo
1B: Pete Alonso
RF: Starling Marte
DH: J.D. Martinez
2B: Jose Iglesias
CF: Tyrone Taylor
C: Francisco Alvarez
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