Shohei Ohtani pulverized the Mets throughout final yr’s NLCS.
So did Mookie Betts.
That star-powered pair delivered run-scoring hit after run-scoring hit final October as their Los Angeles Dodgers eradicated the Mets in six video games to advance to the World Collection.
They had been significantly dominant through the collection’ three video games at Citi Discipline.
However this weekend’s rematch in Queens couldn’t be going extra in a different way.
Via the primary two video games of the three-game set, Ohtani and Betts are a mixed 2-for-18 with 5 strikeouts and two walks.
Add within the 0-for-7 from Freddie Freeman — the Dodgers’ different middle-of-the-order former MVP — and Los Angeles’ massive three is 2-for-25 (.080) with 4 walks and with out an extra-base hit or RBI so far.
Saturday night time’s 5-2 win by the Mets was significantly tough for Ohtani, who went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, all in opposition to left-handed starter David Peterson.
Peterson threw 18 pitches to the lefty-swinging Ohtani over these 4 at-bats however didn’t supply him one four-seam fastball.
As an alternative, Peterson stored Ohtani off-balance with sinkers and off-speed pitches. He completed off all three of the swinging strikeouts with sliders.
It was the primary three-strikeout sport in over a month for Ohtani, the reigning Nationwide League MVP who entered Saturday hitting .302 with 17 residence runs. Solely the Yankees’ Aaron Choose, with 18, had hit extra homers amongst MLB batters.
Saturday’s robust night time adopted a 1-for-5 outing by Ohtani in Friday night time’s opener, which the Dodgers received, 7-5, in 13 innings.
Betts went 0-for-5 in Friday’s win, then went for 1-for-4 on Saturday.
He represented the tying run within the prime of the eighth, however Mets nearer Edwin Diaz struck him out wanting with a 97-mph fastball to finish the inning.
Freeman, in the meantime, adopted Friday’s three-strikeout efficiency with an 0-for-4 effort on Saturday.
In final yr’s NLCS, Ohtani hit .364 with two residence runs, six RBI, 9 walks and a 1.185 OPS. He was 4-for-11 — together with each homers — at Citi Discipline.
Betts hit .346 with two homers, 9 RBI and a 1.182 OPS through the NLCS. He was 6-for-16 within the three video games in Queens.
Freeman was solely 3-for-18 in that playoff collection, however he sat out of two of the video games with a badly sprained proper ankle that he suffered towards the tip of the common season.
The lefty-swinging Freeman entered Saturday with a .361 common, good for second amongst MLB hitters, behind solely Choose.
Peterson, who allowed 4 runs in six innings over two appearances within the NLCS, held lefty batters to a .195 common and 12 strikeouts in 41 at-bats this yr going into Saturday’s begin.
He restricted the Dodgers to 2 runs in 7.2 innings.
All three of this weekend’s Mets-Dodgers video games are nationally televised in a nod to the collection’ immense star energy.
The Mets’ massive three of Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto and Pete Alonso had been a mixed 0-for-12 in Friday’s loss. However Soto broke out Saturday, going 2-for-5 with a two-run double within the win.
