Dodgers Dugout: You didn't think it was going to be easy, did you?

Occasional Digest - a story for you

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. Now it’s a best of five.

This is looking like a repeat of the Padres series. A great Game 1, followed by a not-as-great Game 2.

The best thing about this postseason is the Dodgers are showing all the things they seemed to be lacking the last two years: grit, passion and resolve.

If you missed it, Alex Vesia (strained intercostal) and Miguel Rojas (torn adductor) are not on the NLCS roster for the Dodgers, replaced by Brent Honeywell Jr. and Kevin Kiermaier. This means Kiké Hernández will probably be in the lineup every game.

We’re doing this like the NLDS newsletters. My comments are written live during each game. Received a lot of positive feedback on it, so I’ll keep doing it until you tell me to knock it off.

Game 1

—This could be the emotional letdown game for the Dodgers.

—Jack Flaherty looked nervous in his lone start against the Padres. He does not look nervous tonight.

—Getting ahead of things here, but if the Dodgers are going to use bullpen games in this series, seems like it would have to be Games 2 and 5, because they both have a day off after.

—Kodai Senga seems to be the nervous one tonight.

—Senga walks three people and Will Smith swings at the first pitch.

—Max Muncy laying off the pitches the Padres used to get him out. A good sign.

—I don’t know much about him, I think he was a late add to the roster, but this Shohei Ohtani guy seems pretty good.

—Besides “teeter totter,” John Smoltz‘s other favorite phrase is “easier said than done, I know.”

—I don’t know how Freddie Freeman is doing it. Most of us wouldn’t get out of bed with his sprained ankle.

—Two bunts in the game! What is happening?

—After the game, Dave Roberts said about the bunts: “It’s just playoff baseball. The truth of the matter is that the postseason is different than the regular season. It’s about 90 feet and giving yourself up.”

—The Dodger Stadium crowd is loud again, but I don’t know why they insist on still using those cardboard cutouts to fill the seats behind home plate. Wait, I’m being told those are actual living people.

— Smoltz continues to use too many words, using 50 to say something that could be said in five. I believe it was Yogi Berra in the 1950s who said “John Smoltz is a great pitcher, but he talks too much.”

—Tommy Edman, Michael Kopech, Jack Flaherty. Andrew Friedman did a great job at the trade deadline.

— Kiermaier was left off the NLDS roster. Didn’t whine or complain. Was with the team every game, cheering everyone one. Comes in during Game 1 and makes a great play on the first ball hit to him. And has a big smile. That’s a major leaguer.

—One of my favorite subtle things in baseball is how the catcher and plate umpire look out for each other after one of them takes a foul tip. The catcher will walk out to the pitcher, the umpire will brush off the plate and ask for a new supply of baseballs, etc.

—Gavin Lux leaves the game with hip tightness. Hopefully this does not become an issue.

—Ohtani has only 16 hits in his last 19 at-bats with runners in scoring position. I mean, he made three outs. Might be time to bench him.

—That was an impressive Game 1 win. Thirty-three consecutive scoreless innings. The entire pitching staff has turned into 1988 Orel Hershiser.

—But things can change in an instant. Don’t take your foot off the pedal.

Game 2

—Why is Game 2 a day game after a night game? So the Yankees can have the prime-time spot.

—Leadoff homer to Francisco Lindor. Dodger pitching is just terrible.

—Thirty-three scoreless innings, tying the record set by the 1966 Baltimore Orioles against the Dodgers in the World Series.

—I appreciate stats, as readers know, but I don’t think I need to know that Mookie Betts has a 37% chance to have at least two hits today.

—Mets starter Sean Manaea is reminiscent of a pitcher from 40 years ago. Changing speeds, pitching inside and out. It’s nice to see.

—It’s 2-0 Mets. That scoreless streak seems a long time ago already.

—And now it’s 6-0. That scoreless streak seems a REALLY long time ago.

—Landon Knack just didn’t have it today.

—The Dodgers said it was a bullpen game, but they went to a low-leverage guy, Knack, quickly compared to the game against the Padres, where it was Brasier, Anthony Banda and Michael Kopech.

—The Mets didn’t stumble into the NLCS. They are a good team, and a lot of people were underestimating them coming into this series.

—That Liberty Mutual wax figure commercial was cute the first couple of times. After the 50th time, I just want the ad to melt away. The “Limu Emu…. and Doug” commercials are much better.

—Dodgers games this postseason seem to be following a pattern. Exciting first couple of innings, uneventful middle innings, interesting final couple of innings.

—Tommy Edman, professional ballplayer.

—After the Dodgers got a couple of hits, John Smoltz pointed out that if the Dodgers wanted to mount a rally, they would need to do just that, get some hits. Thanks for that tip. Or, as Yogi Berra said, “John Smoltz is a great pitcher, but he talks too much.”

—And again, it gets really interesting late.

—This is just one of those games. The Dodgers weren’t going to sweep the series, the Mets are really good. But, the Dodgers didn’t have to use any of their high-leverage relievers, and the Mets did, so the Dodger hitters have seen them. That’s a slight advantage to the Dodgers.

—Walker Buehler in Game 3. If it’s the same Buehler who showed up against the Padres, then that would be great. We’ll see. We have a series now. It’s going to be fun.

—Of course, the Chicken Little Dodger fans came out of hiding after Game 2, blaming Dave Roberts and convinced the end is near. What a tough way to go through life as a fan.

—It’s now a best-of-five, and the Mets have home-field advantage, but …

—My prediction remains: Dodgers in six.

Ohtani slumping

Jack Harris reports that it appears Ohtani’s swing was thrown off kilter by Yu Darvish. Ohtani is two for his last 12 with six strikeouts, and Dave Roberts pointed to Ohtani having trouble with Darvish.

“I was surprised with [his at-bats against] Darvish,” Roberts said. “I was surprised that he expanded [the strike zone] versus Darvish…. He’s got to continue to manage his hitting zone, regardless of who’s pitching.”

Clayton Kershaw will pitch in 2025

Clayton Kershaw said before Game 2 that he will pitch again in 2025.

“Mentally, I feel great,” Kershaw said on the Fox pregame show. “I had shoulder surgery last offseason, and my shoulder and elbow, everything, my arm, feels great.

“Obviously, I had some tough luck with my foot this year. But I want to make use of this surgery. I don’t want to have surgery and shut it down. So I’m gonna come back next year and give it a go and see how it goes.”

Kershaw, who made it clear the next day that he is coming back to the Dodgers, has a $5-million player option for next season. It has incentives that could lift his salary up to $20 million, based on appearances.

Kershaw is the second-greatest pitcher in Dodger history and deserves to go out on his own terms.

Interesting to note, according to salary information found on baseball-reference.com, the $5 million he gets next season will lift his career earnings past the $300-million mark.

Gavin Stone out

Meant to get to this in a previous newsletter, but with all the Padres craziness it got pushed aside.

The Dodgers announced last week that Gavin Stone had right shoulder surgery on Oct. 8 and will probably miss the 2025 season. It’s a tough blow, as you could argue that Stone was their best starter this season. Just another Dodger starter who will sit out a season. Something needs to be done about that.

Poll: Who will win?

Meant to do this before the series started and I forgot. Who will win the series? Last time, Dodgers in five was the second choice, behind Dodgers in four.

You can vote here.