NLCS Opening Series Odds: New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Mets have returned to the National League Championship Series for the first time since 2015. A couple of home runs and stellar pitching led the Dodgers past the Padres in Game 5 of the NLDS, but their shaky pitching down the stretch is the concern against the Mets. Opening NLCS odds still make the NL West champion Dodgers a solid favorite over the Wild Card Mets.
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NLCS Odds: To Win The Series
Discover the best prices for the NLCS below. If you can’t access legal betting apps, check out the best baseball DFS sites. Click on the odds to bet which team will win the NL pennant.
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Mets Over Dodgers
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Dodgers Over Mets
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The Mets’ rest advantage is the series’ story to some degree. The Dodgers had to use Yamamoto to win in Game 5, which puts him out of use until at least Game 3 and limits the chances he’s usable until a theoretical Game 7. The Mets, on the other hand, have had 3 days off since beating the Phillies and should have their choice of arms for the series opener.
Whether the Mets’ pitching is as competent as the Phillies’ cold bats made them out to be is up for debate. The Phillies only scored 5 runs in Games 1, 3, and 4 combined. Outside of two three-run innings in Game 2, the Mets’ pitching staff was exemplary.
Against a Dodgers lineup that features Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and more offense, they’re going to need help. The Dodgers pitching staff also stepped up when needed in the NLDS, going 24 scoreless innings straight to save their season.
Francisco Lindor has been the Mets’ hero in the NL playoffs, hitting them into the NLDS in the first place and then hitting the Grand Slam to get them into the NLCS. The ability to clutch hit has been key for the Mets.
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Home Field Advantage?
Both stadiums are below average in terms of hitter favorability. Dodgers Stadium plays a bit more home run friendly for hitters, but it’s by no means a hitter’s park. Meanwhile, Citi Field is unfriendly to hitters in a vacuum, let alone during the October cold. Limiting the Home Run happy Dodgers while at Citi will be crucial.
NLCS odds make the Dodgers a favorite, which makes sense given their home-field advantage and regular season record. That said, the Mets are not nearly as big of underdogs as they would be expected to be by regular season statistics.
The key question is whether the Dodgers big offseason investments show up in the playoffs. Ohtani has put up mediocre numbers so far – slashing .250/.333/.438 in the NLDS, with 3 singles and 1 HR. He has struck out 7 times in 16 At-Bats, including at least one full count where he chased a curveball low. He will need to be better against the Mets.
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