The Los Angeles Dodgers Advance To NCLS For First Time Since 2021

When it comes to the shortest World Series odds, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been at or near the top of the list for the entire 2024 season. And after eliminating the San Diego Padres by a score of 2-0 on Friday night, they’ll be one of the final four remaining teams who have a chance to win the championship.

Dodgers Advance To NLCS, Will Take On Mets

For the 11th time in the past 12 years, LA finished atop the National League West division in 2024. Their 98 wins were the most of any team in the majors, and they were granted a first-round bye in the playoffs thanks to their regular season efforts.

The division rival Padres provided a challenge in the NLDS. San Diego found themselves up 2-1 after the first three games in the best-of-five series, and had scored 21 runs over the contests. But they went cold at the wrong time, and went scoreless for the final 24 innings of the series, starting in the second inning of Game 3.

Darvish vs Yamamoto Lives Up To Expectations

The fifth and deciding game was the only MLB game on the slate for Friday night, and had some serious international interest. Not only was Shohei Ohtani of course featured in the action, but fellow Japanese stars Yu Darvish and Yoshinobu Yamamoto were the two starting pitchers in the game as well.

Yamamoto threw 5 scoreless innings and allowed just two hits, while Darvish took the loss after going 6 ⅔ innings and allowing 2 earned runs. Ohtani finished 0 for 4 with three strikeouts.

For the mighty Dodgers, it is their first NLCS appearance since 2020. They will play host to the New York Mets for the first two games, with the winner of the best-of-seven advancing to the World Series.

It would be the first appearance in the World Series since 2020, when they won the championship during the Covid-shortened season.

Game 1 of the NLCS between the Dodgers and Mets will be played in Los Angeles on Sunday.