Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Max Muncy and the rest of the Los Angeles Dodgers have stormed the East Coast with two consecutive blowout wins over the New York Mets at Citi Field. First pitch for Dodgers vs Mets Game 5 is scheduled for 5:08 p.m. ET on FS1 — additional streaming/viewing options include MLB.TV, Fubo and Sling TV.
Dodgers vs Mets odds have the Dodgers as -145 moneyline favorites and the Mets as +122 underdogs. The over/under is 7.5 total runs (-110/-110). The Dodgers are +118 to cover the run line (-1.5) and the Mets are -140 to cover (+1.5).
Down 3-1 in the NLCS, the Grimace and playoff pumpkin-fueled Mets on the brink of elimination — is there more magic left for New York to muster in Game 5? Find out in my preview below, which features my Dodgers vs Mets predictions and picks, plus the latest Game 5 odds, probable pitchers (Jack Flaherty and David Peterson), starting lineups and more.
- Dodgers vs Mets picks: Under -7.5 (-110)
My Dodgers vs Mets best bet is on the under at 7.5 runs, where I see value at -110. The best line is available at DraftKings, but make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Dodgers vs Mets Odds
Dodgers Odds | ||
---|---|---|
Moneyline | Over/Under | Run Line |
-145 | 7.5 -110o / -110u | -1.5 +118 |
Mets Odds | ||
---|---|---|
Moneyline | Over/Under | Run Line |
+122 | 7.5 -110o / -110u | +1.5 -140 |
- Dodgers vs Mets Moneyline: Dodgers -145, Mets +122
- Dodgers vs Mets Total: Over/Under 7.5 (-110o / -110u)
- Dodgers vs Mets Run Line: Dodgers -1.5 (+118), Mets +1.5 (-140)
Moneyline
I lean the Dodgers here and think they will close out the series but the price is a little too steep for me. I would want closer to -120 to consider it.
Run Line (Spread)
Pass.
Over/Under
Both teams will empty the bullpens in this one and I like the score to stay under as things tighten up in an elimination game.
Dodgers Trends
- Dodgers are 39-41 in their road games against the spread
- The totals have gone OVER in 3 of Dodgers' last 5 games
Mets Trends
- The totals have gone OVER in 42 of Mets' 81 last games at home
- The Mets are 10-8 all time in elimination games — 7-5 at home and 1-3 at Citi Field specifically (per Anthony DiComo)
Dodgers vs Mets Game 5 Probable Pitchers
RHP Jack Flaherty (LAD) | Stat | LHP David Peterson (NYM) |
---|---|---|
13-7 | W-L | 10-3 |
3.2 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 1.9 |
3.17 / 3.51 | ERA /xERA | 2.90 / 4.58 |
3.48 / 3.00 | FIP / xFIP | 3.67 / 4.10 |
1.07 | WHIP | 1.29 |
24% | K-BB% | 10.8% |
39.5% | GB% | 50.1% |
94 | Stuff+ | 94 |
102 | Location+ | 98 |
Dodgers vs Mets NLCS Game 5 Preview, Predictions, Lineups
Dodgers Game 5 Lineup
- Shohei Ohtani (DH)
- Mookie Betts (RF)
- Teoscar Hernandez (LF)
- Freddie Freeman (1B)
- Tommy Edman (SS)
- Enrique Hernandez (2B)
- Max Muncy (3B)
- Will Smith (C)
- Andy Pages (CF)
Los Angeles has outscored the Mets 30-9 in the first four games of this series and will look to close them out at Citi Field on Friday. Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Max Muncy and the rest of the Dodgers have stormed the East Coast with two consecutive blowout wins over the Mets prior to tonight's matchup.
Jack Flaherty gets the ball for the Dodgers in Game 5, after coming out and reminding everyone this season that he is an elite starting pitcher in this league when healthy. He finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting in 2019 before battling injuries for the next three seasons.
He finally looked like his old self this year, posting a 3.17 ERA in 28 starts between the Tigers and Dodgers. His best attribute is his swing-and-miss stuff. Flaherty uses a fastball, slider, and knuckle curve combination to generate a 10.78 K/9 rate.
Flaherty was dominant in Game 1 of this series, tossing seven scoreless innings and allowing just two hits while striking out six batters.
We all know Los Angeles has one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball. They scored the second most runs in the league and ranked first in both wOBA and wRC+ during the regular season.
Ohtani led the way for the Dodgers, on the way to a likely unanimous MVP season. Ohtani is having a strange postseason where he is 1-for-23 with 11 strikeouts with nobody on base, but he is 7-for-11 with two home runs and eight RBIs with runners on base. With Ohtani up-and-down, it has been Mookie Betts leading the way at the plate, along with Muncy, who has reached base in 12 consecutive postseason plate appearances, tying Reggie Jackson for the all-time record.
Mets Game 5 Lineup
- Francisco Lindor (SS)
- Brandon Nimmo (LF)
- Mark Vientos (3B)
- Pete Alonso (1B)
- Jesse Winker (DH)
- Starling Marte (RF)
- Tyrone Taylor (CF)
- Jeff McNeil (2B)
- Francisco Alvarez (C)
With their season on the line, the Mets will turn to David Peterson in Game 5. Peterson had the best year of his career, despite starting the season on the injured list and not making his first start until the end of May. After that, he went on to post a 10-3 record with a 2.90 ERA in 21 starts.
He has been utilized out of the bullpen so far this postseason, mostly as a long-innings guy or a piggyback to an opener. Through four outings this postseason, Peterson has allowed just two earned runs in 8 2/3 innings but they both came in his last appearance against these Dodgers.
The concern for Peterson is, while his 2.90 ERA is fantastic, his 4.58 xERA is quite concerning. Opponents have a .332 xwOBA against Peterson and he ranks in the bottom-25% of the league in strikeout rate and hard-hit percentage.
While not as vaunted as the Dodgers offense, New York held its own at the plate just fine. The Mets finished the year top-10 in both wOBA and wRC+ and hit the sixth-most home runs in the league.
Francisco Lindor is obviously the Mets’ best player and has consistently come up big throughout this postseason, but October has also marked the coming out party for Mark Vientos. The 24-year-old is hitting .370 with four home runs and 12 RBIs this postseason.
Dodgers vs Mets Game 5 Lines, Betting Analysis
Is it okay to admit this NLCS has been pretty boring? All four games have resulted in blowouts, with the closest game being a 4-run win for the Mets in Game 2. I’m betting we will see a more competitive game on Friday, and it starts with the pitching.
Flaherty has been magnificent all season, both for the Tigers and Dodgers. We saw his velocity begin to dip a little bit down the stretch, as he got worn down after a long season, but the week layoff has allowed him to regain his form. Flaherty’s fastball has been averaging 93 miles per hour in his last two starts, back to what we saw from him all season.
He looked dominant in his last start, striking out six across seven scoreless innings. He completely shut down this Mets’ lineup and I am expecting another strong start from Flaherty in Game 5.
After two blowout wins, the Dodgers’ high-leverage relievers should be well-rested, and with an off-day tomorrow, Dave Roberts can afford to have a short leash if somebody gets into trouble.
The same goes for the Mets. We should see all of their top bullpen arms pitch in this game whenever Peterson exits the game. Despite some of Peterson’s concerning expected metrics, it is clear that Carlos Mendoza is well aware of this and limiting Peterson’s exposure. He will likely only pitch 3-4 innings in this one.
As New York’s only left-handed option on Friday, they will look to get Peterson through LA’s key left-handed bets in Shohei Ohtani, Max Muncy, and Freddie Freeman (if he plays) two or three times before handing it off to the bullpen.
With an off day scheduled for tomorrow, and the Mets’ season on the line, neither manager will hold back in this one. Both will play the matchups and have quick hooks, getting the best pitcher on the mound for the situation.
The first four games have been blowout wins that have all sailed over the total. With New York trying to keep their season alive, and the Dodgers trying to close things out to secure a trip to the World Series, I expect things to tighten up here. We should see a more competitive game that stays under the total today.
Pick: Under 7.5 (-115, DraftKings)
Dodgers vs Mets Channel, Start Time, Streaming
Location: | Citi Field in Queens, N.Y. |
Date: | Friday, Oct. 18, 2024 |
Time: | 5:08 p.m. ET |
TV & Streaming Options: | FS1 / MLB.TV, Fubo, Sling TV |
Dodgers vs Mets Latest Injuries
Mets Injuries & News
Player | Status |
---|---|
2B/OF Jeff McNeil | Wrist (Starting in Game 5 over Jose Iglesias) |
Dodgers Injuries & News
Player | Status |
---|---|
1B Freddie Freeman | Right ankle sprain (in starting lineup for Game 5) |
2B Gavin Lux | Hip (not in starting lineup for Game 5) |