Sure, it’s early. But baseball’s postseason is off to a roaring start, and Sunday’s NLDS action proved to be no exception. We’ll go around the horn by wrapping up all of the day’s action, including an instant classic in Philadelphia and a tense beatdown in Los Angeles. Then we’ll name our three up and three down — the best and worst performers of the day — before we identify the biggest factors in Monday’s ALDS games.
Around the horn
Phillies 7, Mets 6
In a wild back-and-forth affair, the Phillies outlasted the Mets to salvage a split through the first two games of the best-of-five NLDS. The game featured five lead changes and six home runs, four of which came from the Mets. The Mets’ Mark Vientos tied the game with a two-run shot in the top of the ninth before Nick Castellanos’ heroics gave Philly the walk-off victory.
Padres 10, Dodgers 2
There might have been a lot of drama on the field, but there was never much question about who would win. The Padres coughed up two leads in Game 1, but stomped on the Dodgers in Game 2. In the process, they continued to expose the Dodgers’ thin pitching. Five Padres homered — Fernando Tatis Jr. did it twice — and Yu Darvish was untouchable.
Three up
Phillies bats roar to life
One day after managing just two runs in a Game 1 loss, the Phillies offense returned to form. Perhaps it was the week-long layoff after a first-round bye, but the Phillies bats were also silent for the first five innings against Mets starter Luis Severino before Bryce Harper’s two-run shot in the sixth gave them a much-needed jolt. Castellanos followed two pitches later with his first big hit of the game, a solo homer off Severino to tie it 3-3. In the eighth, facing a 4-3 deficit, Harper and Castellanos connected again with Harper drawing a one-out walk and Castellanos singling to put two on for Bryson Stott, who laced a triple to right field giving the Phillies a 5-4 lead. Castellanos finished 3-for-5 with the two mammoth hits. The heart of the Phillies lineup — Trea Turner, Harper, Castellanos and Stott — went 8-for-16.
Mark Vientos breaking out
Vientos had a few down moments, including a booted ball that cost his team a run, and a collision that shook up teammate Brandon Nimmo. But without Vientos’ two, two-run homers the Mets wouldn’t have even had a chance late in the game. He finished 3-for-4 with a walk to lead the Mets’ offense.
Yu gotta believe
He might be 38 years old, but Yu Darvish is an ageless wonder. This was the 12th, and arguably best postseason start of his playoff career. He needed 82 pitches to go seven innings and allow one run. Darvish famously imploded during his World Series Game 7 start for the Dodgers in 2017, allowing five runs over 1 2/3 innings. Now pitching for their rival, Darvish was excellent. With two games and two off-days still built into this series, Darvish will be lined up to pitch the deciding game of this series, should it be necessary. That’s a nice option to have in your back pocket.
Yu Darvish held down the Dodgers. (Harry How / Getty Images)
Three down
No relief for Mets
Mets relievers held a potent Phillies offense at bay in Game 1, but couldn’t do the same a second day in a row. After José Butto recorded two outs in the seventh, the Mets turned to closer Edwin Díaz for seven outs, but he managed just two. He got one out to end the seventh and another to open the eighth before allowing three straight base runners. Díaz walked Harper, gave up the single to Castellanos and the clutch two-run triple to Stott. After a taxing day for the bullpen on Saturday, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was forced to turn to Tylor Megill, a starter pitching in relief. In the ninth, Megill got two outs, but then issued walks to Turner and Harper ahead of Castellanos’ heroics.
Edwin Díaz faces the Phillies. (Terence Lewis / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Rotation woes for Dodgers
This was always going to be an area of concern, and the first two games of the NLDS have done nothing to dispel that. If anything, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Jack Flaherty were supposed to be the only real reliable starters, and even they underperformed. Flaherty allowed two homers in the first three innings. His shaky final line was 5 1/3 innings, four earned runs allowed and just two strikeouts. That came one night after Yamamoto got roughed up, prompting manager Dave Roberts to wonder if the righty was pitch-tipping.
Fans get unruly in L.A.
We should be careful to note that 99 percent of the Dodgers fans are not included in this criticism. But for the 1 percent that are, it was richly deserved. Play was suspended for 10 minutes in the seventh inning, and stadium security asked Padres outfielders to move away from the walls as fans threw trash and at least one baseball onto the grass. The ball appeared to be thrown directly at left fielder Jurickson Profar, who robbed a home run in the first inning.
On deck Monday
Tigers at Guardians. 4:08 pm (ET), TBS
Guardians lead series 1-0
DET Tarik Skubal (18-4, 2.39 ERA) vs. CLE Matthew Boyd (2-2, 2.72 ERA)
Royals at Yankees. 7:38 pm (ET), TBS
Yankees lead series 1-0
KC Cole Ragans (11-9, 3.14 ERA) vs. NYY Carlos Rodón (16-9, 3.96 ERA)
Picks to click
Tarik Skubal vs. the Guardians
Skubal is the American League Cy Young Award favorite and the pressure is on for him to even up the series against the Guardians after a rough Game 1 from the Tigers bullpen. The Detroit lefty dominated nearly every team he faced this season though the Guardians did manage a season-high 10 hits off Skubal in his one start against them this season. Skubal still came away with the win, allowing one run while striking out six over seven innings in Cleveland on July 22, his first start after the All-Star break. Eight of the 10 hits were singles, but the Guardians found a way to get on base.
Tarik Skubal during an August start. (Duane Burleson / Getty Images)
Salvador Perez vs. Carlos Rodón
The Royals’ offense doesn’t have a ton of pop. Their 170 homers this season ranked only ahead of the Tigers among postseason teams. But on Monday night there will be at least one significant home run threat. Salvador Perez is 12-for-26 against Carlos Rodón in his career. The ex-AL Central rivals have met many times, and it’s been a lopsided matchup. Perez has three career homers against the Yankees lefty.
(Top photo of Phillies players celebrating on Sunday: Terence Lewis / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)