Mets pitching risk fails in Dodgers blowout win

The National League Championship Series match between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets is the definition of a heavyweight fight. The clubs boast two of the highest payrolls in the sport and rosters full of stars who have delivered in their teams' biggest moments. After considerable hype before Game 1 on Sunday, the opening round clearly went in the home team's favor.

The Dodgers overwhelmed Mets starter Kodai Senga with two runs in the first inning and one in the second inning, providing needed run support for Jack Flaherty and the rest of the team's pitching staff as they posted Los Angeles' third straight shutout Part of a 9 scored -0 win. The Dodgers didn't allow a run in 33 innings, tying the MLB postseason record.

The dominant run comes on the heels of the Dodgers' 2-1 deficit in the NLDS against the San Diego Padres that sent their season into a tailspin. Since then, Los Angeles has gotten off the mat and worked diligently to flip the script from another early October elimination to a team that looks like a real contender. The Mets, on the other hand, started this series with all sorts of momentum, but are now looking for answers after a disastrous start to the series.

Here are three key takeaways from Game 1.

Carlos Mendoza's pitching plan backfires

The New York manager surprised some when he decided to start Kodai Senga in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies. Senga, who was the team's best pitcher in 2023, didn't pitch until July 26 this year after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery, then immediately landed back on the injured list with a calf strain after just one start and missed the rest the regular season. Senga pitched two innings against Philadelphia with one run allowed and three strikeouts as part of a 6-2 Mets victory and earned another shot in Game 1 on Sunday.

He wasn't nearly as perceptive this time. Senga lacked control on all of his pitches, throwing just 10 strikes in 30 pitches before being retired with one out in the second inning. That forced Mendoza to turn to Reed Garrett and eventually left-hander David Peterson for 40 pitches, ruling the latter out for Game 2. With only lefties in the Dodgers' lineup, Peterson's availability is critical and he's not an option Monday makes the prospect of a 0-2 deficit seem more likely. After burning through four relief pitchers, giving Mendoza length and avoiding putting the bullpen in an early hole will be paramount for Game 2 starter Sean Manaea.

Jack Flaherty gives the Dodgers what they've been missing

While Mendoza is now forced to get creative with his pitching plan, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is in seventh heaven after watching Jack Flaherty pitch through seven scoreless innings.

Flaherty, acquired by Los Angeles from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline, didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning and struck out six on 98 pitches. It was the longest postseason appearance by a Dodgers pitcher since Max Scherzer in Game 1 of the NLDS, a span of 20 playoff games. The right-hander threw first-pitch strikes to 16 of the 24 batters he faced, relying on his excellent fastball command to make up for the lack of swing-and-miss elements as he only had 11 swings on the night -Strikes succeeded.

“For us, I think Jack is the perfect time because he is an experienced player. He went through a lot of ups and downs and found his way back,” Roberts said after the game. “This is certainly a childhood dream for him and his family. We just knew that you get a guy and just feel like he can handle that market, can handle pitching in a playoff game and can start a playoff game. That wasn’t really a surprise to us.”

Flaherty's outing is a godsend for the pitching staff, which has been plagued by injuries and forced Roberts to do a significant amount of juggling just to cover 27 outs. Having his starter go seven innings makes his job easier, and all of the Dodgers' key relievers are available for the bullpen game in Game 2.

Ohtani is recovering from the mini-crisis

“Slump” is a relative term for the presumptive National League MVP, but the Padres were able to keep Ohtani at bay for most of the final round. In the final four games of the series, Ohtani was just 2 of 15 with eight strikeouts and no extra-base hits.

If he had problems with his timing at the plate, he didn't let it show on Sunday. Ohtani reached base three times with a walk and two singles, including a rocket off the wall in right-center field that left his bat with an exit velocity of 116.5 mph. Ohtani prefers the ball high and San Diego pitchers kept him quiet by keeping the ball down. The Mets didn't follow the same script in this one and Ohtani made them pay for it.

“I think he’s in good shape right now,” Roberts said of Ohtani’s rhythm. “Like I said, last series I thought he was chasing a little bit, but I think tonight he got back into his strike zone and some good things happened.”

After a miserable start, New York faces a major pitching challenge for the remainder of the series with many questions to answer. Figuring out how to slow Ohtani will certainly be at the top of the list.