Mets and Dodgers fans love to compare players. Who hit the most home runs? Who pitched better? Who made the big play at the right time?
The best place to find real answers is the 2024 National League Championship Series (NLCS). It is the biggest recent meeting between these two teams. The Dodgers won the series 4 games to 2, but the story is more interesting than the final result. Each game had a different hero.
Quick Facts About the 2024 NLCS
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Teams | New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Dates | October 13 to October 20, 2024 |
| Result | Dodgers won the series 4 games to 2 |
| Total runs | Dodgers 46, Mets 26 |
| Next step | The Dodgers moved on to the World Series |
The Mets scored zero runs in two of the six games. That is a big reason why the Dodgers won.
How to Read Baseball Player Stats (Easy Guide)
Before we look at the players, here are the main stats in simple words.
For hitters:
- H (hits): How many times a player reached base by hitting the ball.
- HR (home runs): Hits that go over the fence. The player and any runners on base score.
- RBI (runs batted in): How many runs scored because of a player’s at-bat.
- BB (walks): Times the pitcher threw four balls, so the player walked to first base.
- SO (strikeouts): Times the player missed three strikes and was out.
- AVG (batting average): Hits divided by at-bats. A number near .300 is very good.
- OPS: A number that mixes how often a player reaches base with how hard he hits. Higher is better.
For pitchers:
- IP (innings pitched): How long the pitcher stayed in the game.
- ER (earned runs): Runs that the pitcher is responsible for.
- K (strikeouts): Batters the pitcher got out on three strikes.
- ERA: The average number of earned runs per nine innings. Lower is better.
Now let us look at each game.
Game 1: Dodgers 9, Mets 0
The series started at Dodger Stadium on October 13. The Dodgers won big, and Jack Flaherty led the way on the mound. It was the biggest shutout win in Dodgers playoff history, according to a local report.
This win also kept the Dodgers’ scoreless streak going. They had gone 33 innings in a row without allowing a run, which matched a playoff record.
Shohei Ohtani helped the offense early. He had an RBI single in the first game. He also hit a ball off the right-center field fence that set up two more runs.
Key point: The Mets could not score at all, and Lindor was mostly quiet at the plate in this series, except for his big homer in Game 2.
Game 2: Mets 7, Dodgers 3
The Mets answered right away. Lindor fouled off four pitches in a row against Ryan Brasier. Then he hit a leadoff home run of about 395 feet to right field. That homer ended the Dodgers’ record scoreless streak.
Later in the game, the Mets loaded the bases. Mark Vientos then hit a grand slam to center field, about 391 feet. It was only the third grand slam in Mets playoff history. Earlier in the same postseason, Lindor had hit one against the Phillies. The first one in team history came from Edgardo Alfonzo in 1999.
Ohtani had a hard night. He went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and two walks. He was also 0 for 19 with the bases empty in his first postseason at that point.
Key players:
- Francisco Lindor (Mets): Leadoff home run that changed the mood of the game.
- Mark Vientos (Mets): Grand slam.
- Sean Manaea (Mets): Started the game and faced Ohtani. He said after the game that the series would be a long grind.
Game 3: Dodgers 8, Mets 0
The series moved to Citi Field in New York on October 16. This was a hard night for the Mets.
The Dodgers used three home runs to pull away:
- Enrique Hernandez hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning to make it 4 to 0.
- Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run homer in the eighth against Tylor Megill. The call on the field said fair, and a video review kept it that way.
- Max Muncy hit a solo homer to finish the scoring.
Ohtani finished with one hit, three RBIs, and one walk. He had been hitting .222 in the playoffs before this game, so the homer was a big moment for him.
On the mound, Walker Buehler gave the Dodgers a strong start. In the second inning, the Mets had the bases loaded. Buehler struck out Lindor with a full-count knuckle curve to end the threat. He yelled as he walked off the mound.
The numbers tell the story of the game. The Dodgers had 10 hits and the Mets had only 4. The Dodgers’ pitchers struck out 13 Mets hitters. Lindor went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.
Game 4: Dodgers 10, Mets 2
Game 4 was also at Citi Field, and the Dodgers took a 3 to 1 lead in the series.
Tommy Edman hit a two-run double early. Mookie Betts then had a huge night with 4 RBIs. The Dodgers had 12 hits, and the Mets had 10 hits. So the Mets did hit the ball, but they did not get the big hits when they needed them. They left runners on base, including bases loaded chances that did not turn into runs.
Lindor had two hits in this game, but he also struck out twice.
Lesson from the stats: Hits alone do not win games. Hits with runners on base win games. The Mets had almost as many hits as the Dodgers, but they scored eight fewer runs.
Game 5: Mets 12, Dodgers 6
The Mets stayed alive with their best game of the series. They scored 3 runs in the first inning and 5 more in the third. They had 14 hits, compared with 9 for the Dodgers.
Lindor had two hits and drove in a run. Brandon Nimmo also had a hit, a walk, and an RBI. David Peterson started for the Mets, and the offense gave him a big lead.
The Dodgers did fight back. Andy Pages hit a three-run homer, and Betts added a solo homer. But the Dodgers’ pitching had a bad night, and they could not close the gap. The Dodgers had to play a sixth game.
Game 6: Dodgers 10, Mets 5
The final game was at Dodger Stadium on October 20. The Dodgers chose to use a bullpen game, which means many relief pitchers shared the work.
The Mets scored first. Vientos hit a two-run homer later to cut the lead, and the Mets got 11 hits in total. The Dodgers also had 11 hits, but they used them better.
Ohtani had two hits and two runs scored, plus an RBI and a walk. Betts had a hit, an RBI, and a walk. Blake Treinen earned the save by pitching two innings and striking out four batters.
The Dodgers won the series 4 to 2 and moved on to face the Yankees in the World Series.
Best Hitters of the Series
Here is a simple look at the top bats on both teams.
| Player | Team | Best moment |
|---|---|---|
| Shohei Ohtani | Dodgers | Three-run homer in Game 3, two hits and two runs in Game 6 |
| Mookie Betts | Dodgers | 4 RBIs in Game 4, a homer in Game 5 |
| Tommy Edman | Dodgers | Two-run double in Game 4 |
| Francisco Lindor | Mets | Leadoff homer in Game 2 |
| Mark Vientos | Mets | Grand slam in Game 2, two-run homer in Game 6 |
| Andy Pages | Dodgers | Three-run homer in Game 5 |
Ohtani and Lindor were the two big names at the top of the lineup. Both play leadoff for their teams, and both were in the running for the National League MVP award that year. Lindor said he admired Ohtani’s calm approach. Ohtani said Lindor seemed like a good teammate who smiles a lot and leads the club.
In the end, the Dodgers had more players who got hits at the right time. The Mets had two or three great moments, but then long quiet stretches.
Best Pitchers of the Series
Pitching decided this series as much as hitting.
- Jack Flaherty (Dodgers): Gave the team a strong start in Game 1.
- Walker Buehler (Dodgers): His big strikeout of Lindor in Game 3 saved the Dodgers from trouble.
- Blake Treinen (Dodgers): Closed out Game 6 with four strikeouts in two innings.
- Sean Manaea and Edwin Diaz (Mets): Helped the Mets win Game 2.
The Dodgers’ staff shut out the Mets twice. The Mets’ pitchers gave up 46 runs in six games. That is about 7.7 runs per game, which is a lot against a lineup this strong.
What the Stats Teach Us
Here are four simple lessons from the numbers.
- Timing matters. The Mets had 14 hits in Game 5 and won. In Game 4 they had 10 hits and lost badly. The difference was getting hits with runners on base.
- Stars need help. Ohtani had a slow start, but the Dodgers still won because Betts, Edman, Hernandez, and Muncy came through.
- One swing can change a game. Lindor’s homer and Vientos’ grand slam gave the Mets a win in Game 2. Ohtani’s homer made Game 3 a blowout.
- Pitching depth wins in October. The Dodgers could trust many pitchers. The Mets had good moments, but they could not stop the Dodgers’ bats in the big games.
Where to Find the Latest Mets vs Dodgers Stats
If you want stats for a new game, use trusted sites. These show full box scores, with each player’s hits, RBIs, strikeouts, and more:
- MLB.com
- ESPN.com
- Baseball-Reference.com
Be careful with websites that look like news but have strange wording or numbers that do not match. Always compare two sources before you share a stat.
Final Thoughts
The Mets vs Dodgers series gave baseball fans a lot to talk about. The Dodgers had the better pitching and more timely hits. The Mets had great moments from Lindor and Vientos but could not keep it going across all six games.
When you read player stats, look beyond the final score. Check who got the big hit, who struck out in a key spot, and who pitched with the game on the line. These small details often explain the result better than one big number.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Mets vs Dodgers 2024 NLCS?
The Dodgers won the series 4 games to 2. They won Games 1, 3, 4, and 6. The Mets won Games 2 and 5. After this win, the Dodgers went on to the World Series.
Which players had the best stats in the series?
Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts were the most important Dodgers hitters. Ohtani hit a big three-run homer in Game 3, and Betts had 4 RBIs in Game 4. For the Mets, Francisco Lindor and Mark Vientos had the biggest moments, with a leadoff homer and two big home runs.
Where can I find player stats for a Mets vs Dodgers game?
You can check the box score on MLB.com, ESPN, or Baseball-Reference. A box score lists each player’s at-bats, hits, runs, RBIs, walks, and strikeouts. It also shows the pitchers’ innings, hits, runs, and strikeouts.
