Dodgers NLCS roster could force lineup decision Mets fans will hate

The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to get hit hard by the injury bug. They entered the postseason with a myriad of injuries already, and now, will open the NLCS against the New York Mets without Miguel Rojas and Alex Vesia. The Rojas loss is a big one, considering the season he just had and his career success against the Mets, but Vesia might be a bigger loss. He is out with an intercostal injury.

This Dodgers bullpen is often overlooked, and Vesia is perhaps the most underrated arm in that overlooked group. The southpaw posted a 1.76 ERA in 67 regular season appearances for Los Angeles, holding left-handed hitters to a .144 average and a .539 OPS.

Losing Vesia for the entire series is not only a big deal because of how good he is, but it leaves the Dodgers with only one left-handed pitcher on their roster. That one lefty is former Met Anthony Banda, who had a short stint with the team in 2021.

The Dodgers having just one left-handed pitcher on their entire roster could impact what the Mets do with their starting lineup, even if it isn't a decision that Mets fans will love.

Dodgers NLCS roster could force Jeff McNeil into the lineup over fan favorite Jose Iglesias

While the Dodgers got several unfortunate injury updates, the Mets got a positive one, as Jeff McNeil, their second baseman who had been out since early September with a fractured wrist, is set to return for the NLCS. His return could push Jose Iglesias, a fan favorite, out of the starting lineup.

Prior to McNeil's injury, he had been getting a bulk of the starts at the keystone against right-handed pitching with Iglesias playing primarily against southpaws. McNeil's injury forced Iglesias into an everyday role which has worked out fine, but Iglesias' postseason numbers haven't exactly been pretty.

The 34-year-old has started all seven postseason games for New York but has just six hits (all singles) in 29 at-bats (.207 average). He did have a big two-run single in the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies, and played pretty well in those four games, but still, his numbers left a lot to be desired.

To take it a step further, while Iglesias played well in the regular season against everybody, his OPS against right-handed pitching (.741) was over 250 points lower than that against left-handers (.999).

McNeil's overall numbers are nowhere near where Mets fans are accustomed to, but in the second half, he was looking like his former All-Star self. McNeil's 156 WRC+ in the second half trailed only Francisco Lindor on the team for those with at least 50 plate appearances, and was nearly 40 points better than Iglesias.

Mets fans will not want Iglesias to sit down, especially in favor of a streaky hitter who hasn't played in over a month, but with virtually all right-handers on this Dodgers roster, it might be the move. The Mets can hit McNeil against the righties and if Banda was to come into the game, Iglesias would be available to hit.

The Mets do have the choice to play both McNeil and Iglesias by keeping Iglesias at second base and putting McNeil into the outfield, thus moving Brandon Nimmo over to center field and sticking McNeil in left, but they'd be sacrificing their outfield defense by doing that with Tyrone Taylor likely heading to the bench.

Carlos Mendoza has gotten the Mets this far by pushing virtually all of the right buttons. It'll be interesting to see what he decides to do with McNeil and Iglesias in the NLCS.