The National League Championship Series is heating up, and let’s be real—there’s a lot of buzz around the matchup. It’s a little bittersweet for Mets Francisco Lindor. He was neck-and-neck with Shohei Ohtani in the MVP race for most of the season. But then, out of nowhere, Lindor faced a back injury that sidelined him for two weeks. It was like the baseball gods had other plans.

And then, Ohtani unleashed a two-week stretch that was nothing short of legendary. It’s tough because Lindor had the talent and momentum to make a serious case for that MVP title, but the timing just didn’t work in his favor. Now an insider has said 2 words that have been both shocking and brutal, especially for Ohtani fans. Either way, both players are incredible to watch, Who are you rooting for?

Lindor vs. Ohtani: The NLCS showdown

It seems like Lindor might have the upper hand among the superstars. Ohtani has definitely been in the spotlight, But let’s be honest—he hasn’t quite found his rhythm lately. As reported by the New York Post, they received a bold text from an NL scout that read, “Ohtani stinks.”

It feels like a bit of an overreaction, but you can’t ignore how rough he looked in that deciding Game 5. After tearing it up against the Mets this season with a 1.143 OPS, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in such a crucial game definitely raises eyebrows. Since that homer off Dylan Cease in Game 1 of the Division Series, he’s been a bit quiet.

Lindor, on the other hand, is coming in hot. He’s got that playoff energy, and you can feel his determination as he single-handedly took his team to the postseason which they might have never made it to, with the first greatest home run in the franchise history. So, in the words of Jon Heyman of the New York Post, it is fair to assume that “at the moment Lindor looks like the better player.”

Meanwhile, the Hernandez brothers stepped up big time with those homers, and let’s not forget about the Dodgers’ secret weapons—Yoshinobu Yamamoto and that trio of shutdown relievers. They really seem to be the backbone of L.A.’s success right now. It’s all about timing in the postseason, and while Ohtani might be struggling, the Dodgers are firing on all cylinders.

Mets and Dodgers’ battle of big money and bigger challenges

So compared to Ohtani right now, Lindor is looking like the more impactful player. Francisco Lindor really did carry the Mets on his back—literally at times—with that ailing shoulder. What a wild narrative we’ve got here! In this showdown of the NL’s two $300M teams, Lindor stepping up against a player like Shohei Ohtani, who draws comparisons to Babe Ruth, is just captivating.

But you’re right—these aren’t really the powerhouse rosters we might expect. The Dodgers are reeling from injuries, with a staggering 10 pitchers on their 40-man roster sidelined. That’s a huge hit to their depth and could really change the dynamic of the series. Meanwhile, the Mets are dealing with their own struggles, carrying nearly $90M in dead money thanks to Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, who made brief stops in Queens.

The Mets definitely have an edge in the starting rotation, even if their pursuit of Yamamoto didn’t pan out as planned. With a solid lineup of starters, they should be able to hold their own in the early innings. But the Dodgers’ rotation situation is a whole other story. With injuries leaving them thin, it’s glamorous but not much substance behind them! What do you think the Mets and the Dodgers need to do to maintain their edge in this matchup?