Dodgers' Journey to the World Series: A Casual Look

The Los Angeles Dodgers have made it to the World Series for the fourth time in seven years, after defeating the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series (NLCS) in six games. They clinched their spot with a 10-5 win in Game 6. This is the Dodgers' fourth appearance in the World Series since 2017, with a record of 1-2 in their recent appearances. They lost in 2017 and 2018, but won in 2020 during the pandemic-shortened season. The Dodgers started strong in the NLCS, winning Games 1, 3, and 4 with a combined score of 27-2. Their offense was particularly impressive in Game 6. After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, they scored the next six runs. Tommy Edman and Will Smith hit two two-run home runs in the third inning, and Edman also added a two-run double in the first. The Dodgers continued to score in the later innings, with Shohei Ohtani hitting an RBI single in the sixth, and three more runs coming in the eighth inning via a Teoscar Hernández sacrifice fly, a Mookie Betts double, and an Enrique Hernández single. The Dodgers' 46 runs against the Mets are the fourth most ever in a single playoff series. Before this postseason, the Dodgers had struggled, losing in the Divisional Series for two years in a row. But they turned things around this fall, knocking out their NL West rival, the San Diego Padres, in the NLDS. This is a significant moment for Shohei Ohtani, who will be making his first World Series appearance at the age of 30. He made history this season by becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases. The Mets, despite having the highest payroll in Major League Baseball (MLB) at over $305 million, have not made the World Series since 2015. The Dodgers will face their cross-country rivals, the New York Yankees, in the World Series. This will be their MLB record 12th matchup in the Fall Classic, with the Yankees winning eight of the previous 11 meetings. The World Series is set to begin on Friday.