Severino of the Mets and Buehler of the Dodgers followed similar storylines to NLCS Game 3

In the latest biggest game of the season for both teams, the Mets will advance to Game 3 of the NL Championship Series on Wednesday with 2024 prospect Luis Severino, a successful reclamation project who is one of the reasons they got this far.

The Dodgers will counter with Luis Severino, born in 2023 – so to speak.

It will pit Severino against right-hander Walker Buehler, who has had a mix of injury and ineffectiveness all year, a combination Severino was very familiar with in the not-too-distant past.

“At least my body often has the feeling that it is in the right position and has an idea where the ball is going,” said Bühler on Tuesday evening about his current condition.

Severino and Buehler, both 30, have never met but have followed similar career paths. By their early to mid-20s, they were rising stars for top-tier franchises, with a pair of All-Star honors and two top-10 Cy Young Award finishes to each of their names. They then underwent Tommy John surgery and suffered severe performance declines upon their return.

Severino may have found a new breakthrough with the Mets this season, posting a 3.91 ERA in 31 starts after signing a one-year, $13 million deal.

Buehler appears to be a year behind on his collective curve, putting together a regular season that looked a lot like Severino's swansong with the Yankees: 5.38 ERA in 16 starts. He is scheduled to be a free agent after this season.

The biggest change for Severino, he said, is learning to stick to a consistent routine and taking better care of his body than he did when he was younger.

“It doesn’t matter if we’re in the playoffs, I just stick to my routine every day and come here like this is the first game of the season,” Severino said. “So I’m not worried about how many innings I have.”

Severino has thrown 194 innings this year, regular season and playoffs combined. In the last five years there have been a total of 230.

“I don’t say surprised (to be healthy), but I’m happy with myself,” he said. “The Mets did a good job with me. The coaches, they are incredible. And I think I learned a lot this year about how my body works. I'm not the same guy as I was five years ago, I understand that I've gotten a little older. That's why I have to stick to a routine. And it doesn't matter if today is a day off. I have to come here and stick to my routine.”

Wednesday is a huge split game, and not just because the series is tied. Next up for Los Angeles are Yoshinobu Yamamoto (its best pitcher) and probably Jack Flaherty (who shut out the Mets in Game 1). The Mets will counter with Jose Quintana and a pitcher to be determined.

The Dodgers opted for a bullpen game in Game 2 on Monday because “I like Walker on the road in Game 3,” manager Dave Roberts said, making it “a no-brainer.”

Roberts talked about Buehler's postseason experience in away games. He made five such appearances, one of which was considered a quality start. In his only game in these playoffs, he pitched five innings and gave up six runs – all in the second before pitching in – against the Padres.

“I don't know if 'thriving' is the right word,” Buehler said of his postseason history on the road. “Obviously I’ve given up some big home runs over the years. But I definitely enjoy it and I know our team enjoys playing in these types of environments. It just makes the game a little different and a little more fun. That’s why I’m looking forward to it.”

Buehler and Roberts insisted his last half-dozen or so starts were better, even if the results didn't reflect that much. Buehler called them “building blocks.”

“The results are the results, but the way he threw the baseball, the confidence he had (are positive),” Roberts said. “The year after surgery, there's an adjustment period where you're trying to get the feel and really get back on your feet and understand who you are as a pitcher coming off the surgery.

“Now we have reached the end of this year and have been excluded from the operation. I spoke to Walker yesterday and he's obviously never lacked confidence, but he's in good physical shape. And he certainly lives for big moments.

“What better way to change the bad taste you had in a regular season than to give it a dominant postseason? And it’s on the heater right now.”

Notes and quotes: JD Martinez has a “good chance” of cracking the Game 3 lineup as DH, Carlos Mendoza said. He sat out the first two games. . . The Mets have a Gold Glove Award finalist, Rawlings announced Tuesday: Severino. Mendoza said he was “shocked” that Lindor was not selected for the shortstop field in a vote of NL managers and coaches. “Let me see how I can put this,” Lindor said. “I had a good defensive year, but I think there are other players who had a better defensive year than me.” . According to Severino, who was voted starter, the Mets will wear their black uniforms on Wednesday. . . Darryl Strawberry will throw out the ceremonial first pitch to Dwight Gooden on Wednesday. On Thursday it's Robin Ventura against Edgardo Alfonzo. And on Friday, Matt Harvey to Yoenis Cespedes.

Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Tim was born on Long Island and grew up in Connecticut. He previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the Northeast.