Biggest Mets mistake of the NLCS has accidentally set them up well for Game 6

Of all the crummy errors by the New York Mets to set them back, none appeared bigger than when they chose to go with Kodai Senga in Game 1. The Mets were perfectly set up to instead go with Sean Manaea who showed he is a capable number one starter if not an ace.

The head scratching decision set the Mets back, but in retrospect is actually going to help them because of how this series has shaken out. Manaea gets the ball in Game 6 against the Los Angeles Dodgers back in their ballpark. Another version of the best Mets starting pitcher against the Los Angeles bullpen bodes well for the Mets to push this to a Game 7.

Starting pitching decisions haven’t been what has won or lost games for the Mets in the NLCS

It’s funny how things work out. All it would have taken is a single run by the Dodgers off of Manaea in a hypothetical Game 1 scenario for his appearance to be unworthy. The no-show by the Mets bats then and again in Game 3 made any debate about the rotation more moot than it should be. Because of how well the bats hammered the Dodgers in Game 5, they probably could have had you, me, and a couple of our great aunts (an awful uncle, too) on the mound and come away with a victory albeit a much closer one.

The alternative version of this series would have had Manaea losing Game 1 because the Mets hitters didn’t show up. In Game 5, he would’ve pitched well and it wouldn’t have mattered because of how well the offense performed.

Who’s to say the games would have played out exactly as they did, though? This series has been one with a lot of garbage time runs with Danny Young, Tylor Megill, and Brent Honeywell on the mound. We don’t need to be in any sort of rush to rewrite some of the decisions made by the Mets. Just accept what has happened and be grateful the team has their best starter on the mound in an important Game 6.