NEW YORK — Everything starts with Shohei Ohtani and Francisco Lindor in this National League Championship Series.
Right at the top of the lineup.
Expected to run 1-2 in NL MVP voting, both leadoff batters have already made a big impact early in their playoff showdown between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets.
And they know full well only one of them will reach the World Series.
“I think both of us are in this position where what we did in the regular season is over and what matters is how we produce, what we produce during the postseason,” Ohtani said Tuesday through an interpreter. “I do think we’re perhaps connected in the same sense.”
With the best-of-seven series tied 1-all, the scene shifts to Citi Field for Game 3 on Wednesday night, when Walker Buehler is scheduled to pitch for Los Angeles against Luis Severino.
After the Mets held a casual workout in the late afternoon, Ohtani and the Dodgers took batting practice under the ballpark lights Tuesday evening.
Ohtani said his impression of Lindor “is that he’s a really good guy. He smiles a lot. I do feel like he’s leading the club as well.”
Lindor was asked what he admires in particular about his ultra-talented Dodgers counterpart.
“I admire his shoes. He’s got cool cleats,” the Mets’ star shortstop said, drawing laughter from reporters in the interview room.
“I admire the ability to stay within himself. I mean, he’s a guy that, from day one, has had a lot of pressure on him. There’s been a lot of eyes and cameras on him, and his ability to stay within himself and to not get too big and to stay the course, that, to me, that’s brilliant. He’s done a fantastic job of everywhere he’s gone, he has managed to maneuver himself the right way.”
All those qualities were on display as the teams split the first two games at Dodger Stadium.
Ohtani, mostly held in check this month during his first postseason, had an RBI single early in the series opener and rocketed another single off the right-center fence that led to two more runs. He also drew a walk and scored twice as Los Angeles rolled to a 9-0 rout.
Lindor, who was 0 for 3 with a walk in Game 1, immediately took his turn the next day when he launched a leadoff homer to cap an eight-pitch at-bat after fouling off four straight offerings from Ryan Brasier.
The drive ended a 33-inning scoreless streak for Dodgers pitchers that equaled a postseason record.
An inning later, Los Angeles walked Lindor intentionally to load the bases for Mark Vientos, who hit a grand slam that gave the Mets a 6-0 lead on the way to a 7-3 victory in Game 2.
With that, New York was right back in the series.
“I just love getting things started,” Lindor said. “You just get the crowd and team going.”
Ohtani also has taken to his leadoff role, which used to be an unusual spot to place such a powerful hitter.
Not anymore, though.
“I think we have complete solace in knowing that giving our best hitter five cracks to be instant offense, and also believing that the guys in the bottom of the order can create some havoc and get on base. And I thought we did that really well in Game 1,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
“Just give him opportunities. … I can’t predict the game. So I feel good about what I can predict is Shohei hitting 1 and getting the most of the at-bats from our offense.”
The temperature at first pitch Wednesday night is expected to be just above 50 degrees and falling. It was a pleasant 73 degrees for each of the first two games in Los Angeles.
“Obviously, the East Coast/West Coast, LA/New York thing is pretty cool. I imagine it’s going to be rocking here tomorrow. That’s what excites me more than anything is the noise and the excitement. And the kind of live-or-die feeling on every pitch is something I’ve really grown to love,” Buehler said.
“I love pitching in the cold, personally. I don’t know why or how. When I was in college (at Vanderbilt), I think I had the first 10 starts that were under 30 degrees one year. So something I’m used to, or at least used to be used to.”
Buehler went 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA in 16 starts this season after missing 2023 following his second Tommy John surgery. He took the loss in Game 3 of the Division Series at San Diego, but gave up all six runs in one inning and was a little unfortunate during that outing.
“I feel confident. So I think that probably was one of my biggest strengths for a long time was my confidence, I guess,” Buehler said. “At times this year that’s kind of wavered somewhat. The past six or eight (starts), I’ve kind of felt like I’ve been building blocks of some kind. And hoping to keep that going.”
Severino is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in two playoff starts after going 11-7 with a 3.91 ERA during his first season with the Mets. He has thrown 194 innings including the postseason this year, and will be pitching on nine days’ rest.
“I think my arm, right now, feels the same way, feels good. I just need to stick to my routine,” Severino said.
The right-hander said he would go back and watch how Padres pitcher Yu Darvish had success against Ohtani during their Division Series.
“He’s been a big-game pitcher. There’s some guys that have history with him,” Roberts said. “We’ll be ready for whatever he has planned for us.”
Roberts said second baseman Gavin Lux was feeling much better and is expected back in the lineup Wednesday night. Lux missed Game 2 because of a right hip flexor injury that forced him out of the series opener in the seventh inning.
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