Skidding to the finish line of the 2015 regular season, the New York Mets were unable to hold off the Los Angeles Dodgers for home-field advantage in their National League Division Series matchup, which begins Friday, Oct. 9.
The Mets clinched the NL East on Sept. 26, punching their ticket to the postseason for the first time since 2006. Meanwhile, the Dodgers were crowned NL West champions a third consecutive season on Sept. 29 behind a complete-game, 13-strikeout shutout effort from Clayton Kershaw.
Los Angeles didn’t secure home-field advantage until Saturday, when they defeated the San Diego Padres, and the Mets were swept in a split doubleheader by the Washington Nationals. The 2015 NLDS meeting will be the third time the Dodgers and Mets square off in the postseason.
Their first matchup came in 1988 when the Dodgers defeated the heavily favored Mets in the NL Championship Series. Los Angeles dropped Game 1 at home that year before bouncing back to win the series in seven games, and eventually the World Series.
The Mets swept the Dodgers in the 2006 NLDS. New York took the season series this year, taking two of three games at Dodger Stadium, and later splitting a four-game set at Citi Field. The Dodgers finished the 2015 season 92-70, while the Mets went 90-72.
Jacob deGrom will start Game 1 for New York, and be followed in the series by Noah Syndergaard (Game 2) and Matt Harvey (Game 3). deGrom will start a possible Game 4 on short rest, or the Mets may turn to rookie Steven Matz should he recover from injury in time.
The Dodgers have yet to announce their starting rotation. With the exception of game times as they have yet to be released, below is the 2015 NLDS schedule:
Game 1: Friday, Oct 9 @ Dodger Stadium
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 10 @ Dodger Stadium
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 12 @ Citi Field
Game 4*: Tuesday, Oct. 13 @ Citi Field
Game 5*: Thursday, Oct. 15 @ Dodger Stadium
*If necessary
All National League playoff series will be televised on TBS without local blackouts.
