Dodgers Dugout: And there was great rejoicing throughout the land

Hello and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. And some said it couldn't be done.

Well, here we are, waiting for another World Series. This time the Dodgers are there.

The Dodgers certainly did everything they could to give their fan base a collective heart attack in Game 6. I believe the Mets left 82 runners on base, but I'll wait for the official word.

As always, these are stream of consciousness thoughts written throughout each game.

Game 6

– Begins Michael Kopech was an interesting choice. I would have gone with someone else.

– And the Mets score early. Chris Taylor had a lot more time for this throw than he thought.

“Why is Taylor even playing?” many people asked me. After the All-Star break, he hit .303, the second-best average on the team behind Gavin Lux.

– The key for tonight and maybe tomorrow is Teoscar Hernandez. He has to start hitting.

– I guess he was listening. Hernández gets a long single that would have been a double if he had run immediately after the hit.

—Luckily, he makes up for it by scoring from the start Tommy Edmanis double.

– If the series ends today, Edman could win MVP.

– And a two-run home run for Edman. Definitely the MVP.

– I feel very comfortable with it Ben Casparius Be part of the bullpen rotation, especially if Alex Vesia can't return.

– The Mets make it 6-3. They won't go quietly.

—The Booking.com commercial with the Yankees fans in Boston is great. “These aren’t our children.” “Aren’t we?”

– Dodgers lead 6-3 after the end of the fifth. Evan Phillips, Daniel Hudson And Blake Treinen the rest of the way?

– You know, I can understand hitting the beach ball around during a regular season game, but during the postseason?

—Tom Verducci makes lots of… dramatic pauses… between… words.

– The Dodgers relievers were on a tightrope the entire game. Or they're trying to kill their fan base. One of them.

– The Dodgers scored an MLB-record 46 runs in the NLCS, the most points scored by a team in a single postseason round. That's 7.67 runs per game.

–Edman was named NLCS MVP. He went 11 for 27 with three doubles and 11 RBIs. Other notable Dodgers: Max MuncThey went five for 15 with two home runs, four RBIs and 11 walks. Chris Taylor Hit .375. Shohei Ohtani batted .364 with two home runs, six RBIs and nine runs scored. Mookie Betts hit .346 with two home runs and nine RBIs. Kike Hernandez hit .292 with one home run, four RBIs and six runs scored. The Dodgers hit seven doubles: four by Edman and three by Betts. Nobody else had one. The Dodgers hit 11 home runs, hit by seven different players. They recorded 42 walks. Teoscar Hernandez had just two hits in the series (both in Game 6) but drew seven walks, third on the team. They outscored the Mets 11-5 and outscored them 46-26.

– Pitching wise if you ignore it Landon KnackThe Dodgers relievers pitched 33 innings, allowing 31 hits, walking 16 and recording 24 strikeouts with a 3.00 ERA. They had a team ERA of 4.42, yielding 48 strikeouts and 28 walks in 53 innings.

—It seems so, even if Miguel Rojas If you can return to the World Series, you'll have to find a way to keep Edman and Kiké in the lineup. And you have to ask yourself whether having five days off is enough Freddie Freeman back to better health. If not, the Dodgers are 3-0 without him this postseason.

—Postseason MVPs earned during the season:

2024 NLCS Tommy Edman
2021 WS Jorge Soler
2021 NLCS Eddie Rosario
2018 WS Steve Pearce
2017 ALCS Justin Verlander
2016 ALCS Andrew Miller
2012 NLCS Marco Scutaro
2010 NLCS Cody Ross
2000 ALCS David Justice
1995 NLCS Mike Devereaux
1989 ALCS Rickey Henderson
1969 WS Donn Clendenon

—Dodgers NLCS MVPs:

1977: Dusty Baker
1978: Steve Garvey
1981: Burt Hooton
1988: Orel Hershiser
2017: Justin Turner and Chris Taylor
2018: Cody Bellinger
2020: Corey Seager
2024: Tommy Edman

– For about the millionth time, the Dodgers-Yankees are playing in the World Series. The two best baseball teams actually meet in the World Series. It's about time.

The Yankees?

We won't talk about the Yankees yet.

It was a long, tiring season. The Dodgers have every starting player in the world injured. They have been through crises, experienced crises. Fans emailed to say they had no chance of making it to the World Series. Social media is full of naysayers. But according to every survey we do here in the newsletter, about 80% of you stuck with it. And that belief was rewarded.

So let’s not worry about the Yankees today. Enjoy the victory. Have fun with the pennant. Allow that smile to creep across your face. Look forward to another World Series.

The Yankees will be their toughest opponent yet. But we can always worry about that on Tuesday. First, take a deep breath and appreciate everything.

Also, as I said, Sunday would have been my mother's 94th birthday. A win was always possible.

We'll be back on Friday to preview World Series Game 1, something we haven't been able to do in four years.

Dodgers NLCS schedule

Game 1: at Dodgers 9, New York 0. WP-Jack Flaherty. LP Kodai Senga. (box score)

Game 2: New York 7, at Dodgers 3. WP-Sean Manaea. LP Ryan Brasier. Save-Edwin Diaz. (box score)

Game 3: Dodgers 8, at New York 0. WP-Walker Buehler. LP Luis Severino. (box score)

Game 4: Dodgers 10, at New York 2. WP-Evan Phillips. LP Jose Quintana. (box score)

Game 5: New York 12, Dodgers 6. WP-Ryne Stanek. LP Jack Flaherty. (box score)

Game 6: at Dodgers 10, New York 5. WP-Ben Casparius. LP Sean Manaea. Save Blake Treinen. (box score)

World Series schedule

All times Pacific
All games on Fox
Game times are yet to be announced

Friday at Dodgers
Saturday at Dodgers
Monday, October 28th in New York
Tuesday, October 29th in New York
*Wed., Oct. 30 in New York
*Friday, November 1st at Dodgers
*Saturday, November 2nd at Dodgers

In case you missed it

Plaschke: Welcome back, World Series! The Dodgers defeat the Mets and have a monumental duel with the Yankees

From trade acquisition to “MVP!” How Tommy Edman became the Dodgers’ playoff star

There are nine concerns the Dodgers should have as they face the Yankees in the World Series

The Dodgers survived their most difficult year, defeated the Mets and reached the World Series

Full coverage: How the Dodgers made it to the World Series

The Dodgers drink champagne and beer after winning the NLCS

LA is four wins away from the Dodgers World Series parade that never was

And finally

“Maybe tomorrow we'll all wear 42. That way they won't be able to tell us apart.” See and hear here.