Though it seemed impossible back in May, the New York Mets are playing for a pennant.
Last week, for the first time ever in Citi Field, the champagne flowed after the Mets defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in four games to advance onto the National League Championship Series. The win came thanks to another signature moment for Francisco Lindor, who hit a grand slam late in the game to put the Mets ahead.
They then learned their opponent late Friday night, when the Dodgers bested the Padres in a do-or-die Game 5 to advance onto the NLCS. So, it’ll be an MVP vs. MVP showdown — Shohei Ohtani vs. Lindor — in the final playoff series before the World Series begins.
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The Mets last faced the Dodgers on May 29, when, following three straight losses, Lindor called a players only meeting, and, well… the Mets surged from 11 games under .500 to become one of the best teams in the MLB since that point. The last playoff series between the two teams is infamous, too; the 2015 NLDS took all five games for the Mets to advance and is remembered now as the Chase Utley series after the second baseman slid into Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada and shattered his leg.
The 2024 NLCS puts just four wins between the Mets and a potential Subway Series in the world championship, with the Yankees just four wins away themselves.
Below, check out everything you need to know to watch the Mets in the NLCS.
Mets vs. Dodgers NLCS dates and times: When do the Mets play the Dodgers?
- Game 1: Sunday, October 13 – 8:15 p.m. ET (Fox)
- Game 2: Monday, October 14 – 4:08 p.m. ET (Fox and FS1)
- Game 3: Wednesday, October 16 – 8:08 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Game 4: Thursday, October 17 – 8:08 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Game 5, if necessary: Friday, October 18 – 5:08 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Game 6, if necessary: Sunday, October 20 – 8:08 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Game 7, if necessary: Monday, October 21 – 8:08 p.m. ET (Fox and FS1)
What channel is the Mets game on?
Game 1 and 2 (plus a potential Game 7) will air on Fox. The rest of the games will be on Fox Sports 1 (FS1).
How to watch Mets vs. Dodgers for free:
If you want to watch the Mets in the NLCS for free and you don’t have cable, we recommend using a live TV streaming service that comes with a free trial. DIRECTV Stream offers a five-day free trial for new subscribers. When the trial is over, you’ll pay $79.98/month for over 90 live channels.
Other ways to stream Mets vs. Dodgers:
While Sling TV doesn’t offer any free days, you’ll save money on a whole month of streaming rather than just five days free.
Sling TV’s Blue plan includes Fox and FS1, and right now, you can get your first month for $10 off. Instead of $45, you’ll pay $35 and get access to the full NLCS, ALCS (airing on TBS), and the World Series before the second-month payment is due.
Probable Mets vs. Dodgers pitchers:
At the time of publishing, the Mets had yet to confirm a starter for Game 3 and beyond, while LA has only set their Game 1 starter. The pitching matchups will look like this:
- Game 1: Kodai Senga (NYM) vs. Jack Flaherty (LAD)
- Game 2: Sean Manaea (NYM) vs. TBD
- Game 3: TBD vs. TBD
Where are the Mets playing?
Games 1 and 2 of the NLDS will be played at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA, before heading home to Queens, NY’s Citi Field for Game 3 and 4, plus a potential Game 5. If the series goes beyond five games, they’ll head back to Dodger Stadium for the final games of the series.
NLCS broadcast team:
Fox’s lead booth of Joe Davis and first-ballot hall-of-famer John Smoltz will call all games of the NLCS. They’ll be joined by Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci reporting from the field and beyond.
In studio, Kevin Burkhardt will lead Fox’s NLCS coverage with Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and David Ortiz.
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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Writer/Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping and New York Post’s streaming property, Decider. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on each streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. Prior to joining Decider and New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.