The Dodgers and Padres faced a simple dichotomy Friday night — win and advance, or lose and go home.
San Diego and Los Angeles delivered an enthralling NLDS series in the 2024 MLB playoffs. The two NL West foes split the first two games of the best-of-five series, with the Dodgers avoiding elimination Wednesday with a 8-0 thumping of the Padres to keep their World Series hopes alive.
Opposing the NL West division winners is a San Diego club that has been the best team in baseball since the All-Star break. Powered by the bats of Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., the Padres were aiming to end the Dodgers' season for the second time in three seasons.
Los Angeles, though, bucked its recent trend of early playoff exits. The Dodgers spent over a billion dollars in free agency, landing two-way star Shohei Ohtani and winning the Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes — and while Ohtani didn't deliver Friday, Yamamoto did.
Who is up next for the Dodgers? The Sporting News explains the opponent for the NLCS.
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Who do the Dodgers play next?
The Dodgers will face the New York Mets in the 2024 NLCS.
The Mets advanced to their first league championship series since 2015 by knocking off the Phillies in four games in their NLDS series. After splitting the first two games, New York won both games in Queens, eliminating their NL East rivals.
During the regular season, the Mets went 2-4 against the Dodgers in 2024. Los Angeles posted a record of 98-64, winning the NL West for the third year in a row and 11th time in the last 12 years.
MORE: Explaining the beef between the Padres, MLB reporter Ken Rosenthal
When does the NLCS start?
Game 1 of the NLCS will take place Sunday, Oct. 13.
Since the Mets needed just four games to knock off the Phillies, New York gets three days off before the next round begins, allowing Carlos Mendoza the option to rest his bullpen and reset his starting rotation.
The Dodgers have just one off day between the two series, but they won't have to travel before the NLCS.
MLB playoff schedule, results 2024
Wild Card Series scores
Tuesday, Oct. 1
| Scores |
| Game 1: Tigers 3, Astros 1 |
| Game 1: Royals 1, Orioles 0 |
| Game 1: Mets 8, Brewers 4 |
| Game 1: Padres 4, Braves 0 |
Wednesday, Oct. 2
| Scores |
| Game 2: Tigers 5, Astros 2 (Tigers advance) |
| Game 2: Royals 2, Orioles 1 (Royals advance) |
| Game 2: Brewers 5, Mets 3 |
| Game 2: Padres 5, Braves 4 (Padres advance) |
Thursday, Oct. 3
| Scores |
| Game 3: Mets 4, Brewers 2 (Mets advance) |
MORE: Sporting News predicts the 2024 MLB postseason
Division Series schedule, scores
Saturday, Oct. 5
| Scores |
| Game 1: Guardians 7, Tigers 0 |
| Game 1: Mets 6, Phillies 2 |
| Game 1: Yankees 6, Royals 5 |
| Game 1: Dodgers 7, Padres 5 |
Sunday, Oct. 6
| Scores |
| Game 2: Phillies 7, Mets 6 |
| Game 2: Padres 10, Dodgers 2 |
Monday, Oct. 7
| Scores |
| Game 2: Tigers 3, Guardians 0 |
| Game 2: Royals 4, Yankees 2 |
Tuesday, Oct. 8
| Scores |
| Game 3: Mets 7, Phillies 2 |
| Game 3: Padres 6, Dodgers 5 |
Wednesday, Oct. 9
| Game |
| Game 3: Tigers 3, Guardians 0 |
| Game 4: Mets 4, Phillies 1 |
| Game 3: Yankees 3, Royals 2 |
| Game 4: Dodgers 8, Padres 0 |
Thursday, Oct. 10
| Game |
| Game 4: Guardians 5, Tigers 4 |
| Game 4: Yankees 3, Royals 1 |
Friday, Oct. 11
| Game |
| Game 5: Dodgers 2, Padres 0 |
Saturday, Oct. 12
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 5: Guardians vs. Tigers | 1:08 p.m. | TBS, Sling |
League Championship Series schedule
Sunday, Oct. 13
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 1: Mets vs. Dodgers | 8:15 p.m. | Fox/FS1, Fubo |
Monday, Oct. 14
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 1: Yankees vs. Guardians/Tigers | 7:37 p.m. | TBS, truTV, Sling |
| Game 2: Mets vs. Dodgers | 4:08 p.m. | Fox/FS1, Fubo |
Tuesday, Oct. 15
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 2: Yankees vs. Guardians/Tigers | 7:37 p.m. | TBS, truTV, Sling |
Wednesday, Oct. 16
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 3: Mets vs. Dodgers | 8:08 p.m. | Fox/FS1, Fubo |
Thursday, Oct. 17
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 3: Yankees vs. Guardians/Tigers | TBD | TBS, truTV, Sling |
| Game 4: Mets vs. Dodgers | TBD | Fox/FS1, Fubo |
Friday, Oct. 18
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 4: Yankees vs. Guardians/Tigers | TBD | TBS, truTV, Sling |
| Game 5*: Mets vs. Dodgers | TBD | Fox/FS1, Fubo |
* - if necessary
Saturday, Oct. 19
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 5*: Yankees vs. Guardians/Tigers | TBD | TBS, truTV, Sling |
* - if necessary
Sunday, Oct. 20
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 6*: Mets vs. Dodgers | TBD | Fox/FS1, Fubo |
* - if necessary
Monday, Oct. 21
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 6*: Yankees vs. Guardians/Tigers | TBD | TBS, truTV, Sling |
| Game 7*: Mets vs. Dodgers | TBD | Fox/FS1, Fubo |
* - if necessary
Tuesday, Oct. 22
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 7*: Yankees vs. Guardians/Tigers | TBD | TBS, truTV, Sling |
* - if necessary
World Series schedule
The World Series could move up to an earlier start if both LCS finish by Oct. 19. If that happens, the World Series will begin Oct. 22 with a potential Game 7 set for Oct. 30.
Friday, Oct. 25
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 1: AL vs. NL (at better record) | TBD | Fox, Fubo |
Saturday, Oct. 26
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 2: AL vs. NL | TBD | Fox, Fubo |
Monday, Oct. 28
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 3: AL vs. NL | TBD | Fox, Fubo |
Tuesday, Oct. 29
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 4: AL vs. NL | TBD | Fox, Fubo |
Wednesday, Oct. 30
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 5*: AL vs. NL | TBD | Fox, Fubo |
* - if necessary
Friday, Nov. 1
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 6*: AL vs. NL | TBD | Fox, Fubo |
* - if necessary
Saturday, Nov. 2
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 7*: AL vs. NL | TBD | Fox, Fubo |
* - if necessary