The NLDS includes Dodgers/Padres, Phillies/Mets rematches in the division

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers hasn’t had much to smile about this season. (AP Photo/David … (+) Zalubowski)

Finally, seven years later, Shohei Ohtani will make his major league postseason debut when the two-game National League Division Series begins on Saturday.

Ohtani became the first player in major league history to hit 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in the same season in his first year with the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who saved him from the out-of-town Angels with a reliever agent’s $700 million contract last winter.

The Dodgers will have home-field advantage in the playoffs for the 12th consecutive year in a best-of-five series against the San Diego Padres. San Diego won the season series and is the best team in baseball since the All-Star break.

A shirtless Bryce Harper celebrated the Phillies’ NL East victory over the Cubs on September 2. … (+) 23. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

The winner of the NL East, Philadelphia, will make its third straight NLDS appearance and will have home-field advantage over their Eastern rival, the New York Mets. Since joining the league in 1962, the teams have met 1,081 times in the regular season, but this is their first playoff game.

No. 2 seed Philadelphia (95–67) vs. No. 5 seed New York (89–73)

Saturday — New York (Kodai Senga, 1-0. 3.38 ERA) at Philadelphia (Zack Wheeler, 16-7, 2.57), FOX, 16:08 ET

Sunday – New York at Philadelphia, FS1, 4:08 p.m. ET

Tuesday — Philadelphia, New York, TBD, TBD

Wednesday — Philadelphia, New York, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

October 11 — New York at Philadelphia, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

Seasonal series: Philadelphia won 7-6. The teams met seven times in the final 16 days of the regular season, and the Mets entered with momentum after three of four games from September 19-22 to maintain their playoff streak. Brandon Nimmo defeated Wheeler with a solo goal in a 2-1 victory in the last meeting on September 22.

Kyle Schwarber sparked Philadelphia’s offense from the top. (AP Photo/Derik … (+) Hamilton)

Players to watch/what to know

Philadelphia: DH Kyle Schwarber (38 homers, 104 RBI) and 1B Bryce Harper (30/87) lead an offense that finished in the top three in the league at the time, while enduring injury losses to SS Trea Tuner and JT Realmuto. They both came back.

Harper is the latest postseason star. He hit .324 with 11 homers, 21 RBI and a 1.137 OPS in the Phillies’ 30 postseason games over the past two years as they reached the World Series in 2022 and the NLCS in 2023.

The Phillies have a massive rotation. Wheeler, who finished the season with 11 straight strong starts, has the lowest postseason WHIP (0.73) of any player in major league history with at least 10 starts, trailing Christy Mathewson and Madison Bumgarner. Their top four starters have double-digit wins and an ERA under 3.60, and their trade deadline acquisition of Carls Estevez has added strength to the bullpen.

New York

“You Gotta Believe” gave way to “OMG” at Citi Field. The Mets won 20 of their final 29 regular-season games, the best record in the major leagues during that stretch, to reach the playoffs, and 1B Pete Alonso made major league history with his three-run homer in Thursday’s 4-2 victory send them through Milwaukee.

According to OptaSTATS, Alonso was the first player to score in the ninth inning in a winner-take-all postseason game. He did this by choking the bat against Devin Williams, one of the best closers in the game. The Mets enter the league with one day off after playing 45 innings Monday through Thursday.

Francisco Lindor sent the Mets into the playoffs with a home run in the ninth inning of Game 1 … (+) doubleheader in Atlanta on Monday. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

SS Francisco Lindor, who likely finished second to Ohtani in NL MVP voting, was one stolen base shy of a 30/30/30 season. He had 33 homers and 39 doubles, giving him a 138 OPS+. His 17.4 defensive fWAR was third in the majors.

Senga was activated from the injured list for Saturday’s match. This season he struggled with calf and triceps injuries and only played in one match.

#1 seed Los Angeles (98–64) vs #4 seed San Diego (93–69)

Saturday — San Diego (Dylan Cease, 14-11, 3.47) at Los Angeles (Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 7-2, 3.00), FS1, 20:38 ET

Sunday — San Diego at Los Angeles, FS1, 8:03 p.m. ET

Tuesday — Los Angeles at San Diego, TBD, TBD

Wednesday — Los Angeles at San Diego, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

October 11 — San Diego, Los Angeles, TBD, TBD (if necessary)

Seasonal series: San Diego won 8-5. The teams started the season by splitting two games in South Korea, and the Padres won the next three series before the Dodgers won two of three to win the NL West in the final week of the season.

Shohei Ohtani made the playoffs for the first time in seven major league seasons. (AP … (+) Photo/Dawid Zalubowski)

Players to watch/what to know

Los Angeles

Leadoff player Ohtani has had a magical first season in the Netherlands. He will win the NL MVP award not only because of his 50/50 season, but also because he is the first player in major league history to finish in the top five in the major leagues in runs (134, first), homers (54, second). , RBI (130, second), stolen bases (59, second), hits (197, fourth) and walks (81, fourth). RBI because these were official statistics from 1920.

Yamamoto’s return and the deadline to take over starter Jack Flaherty and closer Michael Kopech stabilized a staff that had struggled with injuries all year and will not play in the playoffs without Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw.

Freddie Freeman is expected to play in the NLDS after missing the final three games of the season … (+) with an ankle injury. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

First baseman Freddie Freeman (22 runs scored, 89 RBI) missed the final three games of the regular season after spraining his right ankle while making a corner, but is expected to play Saturday.

Ohtani, Mookie Betts (19/75), Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez (33/99) are the best 1-4 group in baseball. The Dodgers have lost in the NLDS the past two years.

San Diego

The Padres have some recent history on their side. Not only did they win the season series against the Dodgers, but they also eliminated the Dodgers in the 2022 NLDS, losing the first game at Dodger Stadium and then winning the next three at home. They are 19-8 at Petco Park since the All-Star break.

CEO AJ Preller saw a high return on investment. Offseason acquisitions Michael King and Cease finished in the top nine in the NL ERA, May acquisition Luis Arraez won his third straight batting title, and setters Tanner Scott and Jason Adam added to an already strong presence ahead of Robert Suarez (36 saves).

Manny Machado, Jurickson Profar and Fernando Tatis Jr. they make a lineup that includes Jackson Merrill, who should be the NL Rookie of the Year with his 5.3 WAR according to FanGraphs. Sophomore quarterback Joe Musgrove will miss the series with an elbow injury.

Fernando Tatis Jr. he went 4-for-6 with two walks and a score in the opener against Atlanta. (AP Photo/Gregory … (+) Bull)