2024 MLB League Championship Series Preview

The MLB is approaching the 2024 Championship Series in both the American and National Leagues, bringing the World Series even closer.

In the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers, featuring the phenomenon Shohei Ohtani, will face the surprising New York Mets, led by the clutch Francisco Lindor.

Meanwhile, in the American League, things have been pretty straightforward. The champion will be decided between the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Guardians, the two teams with the best regular-season records.

Both series will be played in a best-of-seven format.

2024 MLB League Championship Series: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Mets

Although Shohei Ohtani hasn’t been hitting the expected level, the Los Angeles Dodgers managed to eliminate a tough San Diego Padres team in a decisive Game 5. With bats like Teoscar Hernández, Freddie Freeman, and Mookie Betts, the Dodgers’ offense always has firepower.

However, the team’s big issue is a lack of starting pitching depth. They only have Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty, and Walker Buehler available, and aside from the Japanese ace, the others have not provided the reliability needed against a strong opponent like the Mets. Much of the Dodgers’ future in the playoffs will depend on their hitters staying hot and the bullpen holding up.

The New York Mets finished the regular season well. Still, few expected them to eliminate the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies. The pitching staff has excelled, from the starters to the bullpen, but there’s no doubt that Francisco Lindor has been the standout player. The Puerto Rican shortstop hit a Grand Slam that clinched the divisional series, and he’s been clutch all postseason.

While his batting average isn’t stellar (.259), he leads the team in postseason runs scored with six, has three doubles, one home run, and six RBIs. Mark Vientos, with seven RBIs, is another key player to watch for the Mets.

Dodgers vs. Mets Betting Pick: Dodgers

2024 MLB League Championship Series: New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Guardians

The New York Yankees are the heavy favorites to reach the World Series from the American League, especially after both the Baltimore Orioles and Houston Astros were eliminated. In their series against the Kansas City Royals, the starting pitching was shaky, as evidenced by Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt failing to reach the fifth inning, leaving the bullpen to step in early on multiple occasions.

While the pitching staff may not be entirely reliable, the offense is certainly stepping up, especially Giancarlo Stanton, who is hitting .375 with one home run and four RBIs. However, there’s no doubt that Aaron Judge needs to find his rhythm. The MVP-caliber hitter from the regular season has struggled, posting a low .154 batting average, no RBIs, and just two hits in 13 at-bats.

The Cleveland Guardians needed five matches to eliminate the Detroit Tigers, securing victories in the fourth and fifth games while facing elimination. While there are several standout players on this roster, against Detroit, outfielder Steven Kwan was the highlight, hitting .524 in 21 at-bats. Lane Thomas contributed nine RBIs with two home runs, but the team is still waiting for its star player, José Ramírez, to heat up, as he’s batting just .188.

One key strength of this team is its bullpen, which is the best in all of Major League Baseball, led by closer Emmanuel Clase, who saved 47 of 50 games during the regular season.

Yankees vs. Guardians Pick: Yankees