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There won't be quite as much on the line when the Mets face the Dodgers this weekend in Queens as the last time they met.
Back in October, the Mets forced the NLCS back to Dodger Stadium with a Game 5 win at Citi Field, sparked by Pete Alonso's three-run homer in the bottom of the first.
The Mets went on to drop the series in the next game in Los Angeles, as the Dodgers marched to a World Series title over the Yankees.
Still, as Carlos Mendoza noted, despite the recency of their NLCS matchup, the two teams will have a different look when the Dodgers arrive to open a series Friday at Citi Field.
"They beat us last year in the NLCS, and they added a lot more people, and we did the same thing,'' Mendoza said. "It'll be a fun matchup."
Since the free-spending Dodgers and Mets brought in some of the most high-profile free agents of the offseason, there has been plenty of attention on the impact -- or lack thereof -- made by some of those additions.
First, there's Juan Soto and his slow start in Queens.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers have had expensive issues of their own.
Blake Snell is out with left shoulder inflammation after signing a five-year, $182 million deal in the offseason.
He's made just two starts.
And Roki Sasaki's much-anticipated MLB arrival has been a disappointment, with the 23-year-old sidelined with right shoulder impingement after his velocity dipped and his performance sagged.
In the bullpen, Kirby Yates -- another significant free agent signing -- is out with a hamstring injury.
Key holdovers Tyler Glasnow (shoulder), Blake Treinen (forearm) and Evan Phillips (elbow) also are on the IL.
Even with the new faces, one thing hasn't changed, according to Mendoza: "They've got a good team, and we're a good team. We'll be ready for them."
Just as the Mets have been buoyed by Alonso and Francisco Lindor at the plate and Kodai Senga in the rotation, the Dodgers have received top play from Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani, as well as Yoshibonu Yamamoto.
The Mets caught a break, as Yamamoto -- off to as good a start as any pitcher in the National League -- won't pitch this series.
Instead, the Mets will get Clayton Kershaw on Friday, followed by Tony Gonsolin and Landon Knack.
After dropping four straight, the Dodgers won their last two against Arizona to stay atop the NL West, as the Mets try to sort out their offense, which finally broke out a bit in Wednesday's victory in Boston.
But having lost five of their last seven cost them first place in the division.
"Everybody knows we had some history in the playoffs last year,'' Brett Baty said. "But they're a good ballclub, [and] we're a good ballcub. It's gonna be fun."
It sets up a stretch in which, outside of the Dodgers, the Mets should be able to feast.
Of their next 22 games, only seven -- all versus the Dodgers -- are against teams with a winning record.
After hosting the Dodgers this weekend, the Mets face the lowly White Sox and historically bad Rockies before a visit to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers again, and then one to Colorado, followed by series against the Nationals and Rays.