It's simple for the Dodgers and Padres on Friday night — win and advance, or lose and go home.
San Diego and Los Angeles has delivered an enthralling NLDS series in the 2024 MLB playoffs. The two NL West foes split the first two games of the best-of-five series, with the Dodgers avoiding elimination on Wednesday with a 8-0 thumping of the Padres, keeping their World Series hopes alive.
Los Angeles is hoping to buck their trend of early playoff exits in recent history. The Dodgers spent over a billion dollars in free agency, landing two-way star Shohei Ohtani and winning the Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes. However, it could all be for nothing in 2024 without a win on Friday.
Opposing the NL West division winners is a San Diego club that has been the best team in baseball since the All-Star break. Powered by the bats of Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., the Padres are hoping to end the Dodgers' season for the second time in three seasons.
Yamamoto is on the mound for the Dodgers with the season on the line, and he'll face his fellow Japanese countryman Yu Darvish, who gets the nod for the Padres.
But who is up next for the winner of Game 5 between the Dodgers and Padres? The Sporting News explains the opponent for the NLCS.
SN's MLB HQ: Live MLB scores | Updated MLB standings | Full MLB schedule
Who do the Dodgers or Padres play next?
The winner of the Dodgers-Padres game take on the Mets in the 2024 NLCS.
The Mets advanced to their first league championship series since 2015 by knocking off the Phillies in four games in their NLDS series. After splitting the first two games, New York won both games in Queens, eliminating their NL East rivals.
During the regular season, the Mets went 2-4 against the Dodgers in 2024. Los Angeles posted a record of 98-64, winning the NL West for the third year in a row and 11th time in the last 12 years.
Against the Padres, the Mets enjoyed a lot more success. New York faced San Diego seven times, going 5-2 against the NL West members. The Padres earned the first wild-card spot in the NL with a record of 93-69.
MORE: Explaining the beef between the Padres, MLB reporter Ken Rosenthal
When does the NLCS start?
Game 1 of the NLCS will take place Sunday, Oct. 13.
Since the Mets needed just four games to knock off the Phillies, New York gets three days off before the next round begins, allowing Carlos Mendoza the option to rest his bullpen and reset his starting rotation.
The winner of the Dodgers-Padres series gets just a single day off before returning to action.
MLB playoff schedule, results 2024
Wild Card Series scores
Tuesday, Oct. 1
Scores |
Game 1: Tigers 3, Astros 1 |
Game 1: Royals 1, Orioles 0 |
Game 1: Mets 8, Brewers 4 |
Game 1: Padres 4, Braves 0 |
Wednesday, Oct. 2
Scores |
Game 2: Tigers 5, Astros 2 (Tigers advance) |
Game 2: Royals 2, Orioles 1 (Royals advance) |
Game 2: Brewers 5, Mets 3 |
Game 2: Padres 5, Braves 4 (Padres advance) |
Thursday, Oct. 3
Scores |
Game 3: Mets 4, Brewers 2 (Mets advance) |
MORE: Sporting News predicts the 2024 MLB postseason
Division Series schedule, scores
Saturday, Oct. 5
Scores |
Game 1: Guardians 7, Tigers 0 |
Game 1: Mets 6, Phillies 2 |
Game 1: Yankees 6, Royals 5 |
Game 1: Dodgers 7, Padres 5 |
Sunday, Oct. 6
Scores |
Game 2: Phillies 7, Mets 6 |
Game 2: Padres 10, Dodgers 2 |
Monday, Oct. 7
Scores |
Game 2: Tigers 3, Guardians 0 |
Game 2: Royals 4, Yankees 2 |
Tuesday, Oct. 8
Scores |
Game 3: Mets 7, Phillies 2 |
Game 3: Padres 6, Dodgers 5 |
Wednesday, Oct. 9
Game |
Game 3: Tigers 3, Guardians 0 |
Game 4: Mets 4, Phillies 1 |
Game 3: Yankees 3, Royals 2 |
Game 4: Dodgers 8, Padres 0 |
Thursday, Oct. 10
Game |
Game 4: Guardians 5, Tigers 4 |
Game 4: Yankees 3, Royals 1 |
Friday, Oct. 11
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 5: Dodgers vs. Padres | 8:08 p.m. | Fox, Fubo |
Saturday, Oct. 12
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 5: Guardians vs. Tigers | 8:08 p.m. | TBS, Sling |
League Championship Series schedule
Sunday, Oct. 13
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 1: Mets vs. Phillies/Padres | TBD | Fox/FS1, Fubo |
Monday, Oct. 14
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 1: Yankees/Royals vs. Guardians/Tigers | TBD | TBS, truTV, Sling |
Game 2: Mets vs. Phillies/Padres | TBD | Fox/FS1, Fubo |
Tuesday, Oct. 15
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 2: Yankees/Royals vs. Guardians/Tigers | TBD | TBS, truTV, Sling |
Wednesday, Oct. 16
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 3: Mets vs. Phillies/Padres | TBD | Fox/FS1, Fubo |
Thursday, Oct. 17
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 3: Yankees/Royals vs. Guardians/Tigers | TBD | TBS, truTV, Sling |
Game 4: Mets vs. Phillies/Padres | TBD | Fox/FS1, Fubo |
Friday, Oct. 18
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 4: Yankees/Royals vs. Guardians/Tigers | TBD | TBS, truTV, Sling |
Game 5*: Mets vs. Phillies/Padres | TBD | Fox/FS1, Fubo |
* - if necessary
Saturday, Oct. 19
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 5*: Yankees/Royals vs. Guardians/Tigers | TBD | TBS, truTV, Sling |
* - if necessary
Sunday, Oct. 20
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 6*: Mets vs. Phillies/Padres | TBD | Fox/FS1, Fubo |
* - if necessary
Monday, Oct. 21
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 6*: Yankees/Royals vs. Guardians/Tigers | TBD | TBS, truTV, Sling |
Game 7*: Mets vs. Phillies/Padres | TBD | Fox/FS1, Fubo |
* - if necessary
Tuesday, Oct. 22
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 7*: Yankees/Royals vs. Guardians/Tigers | TBD | TBS, truTV, Sling |
* - if necessary
World Series schedule
The World Series could move up to an earlier start if both LCS finish by Oct. 19. If that happens, the World Series will begin Oct. 22 with a potential Game 7 set for Oct. 30.
Friday, Oct. 25
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 1: AL vs. NL (at better record) | TBD | Fox, Fubo |
Saturday, Oct. 26
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 2: AL vs. NL | TBD | Fox, Fubo |
Monday, Oct. 28
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 3: AL vs. NL | TBD | Fox, Fubo |
Tuesday, Oct. 29
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 4: AL vs. NL | TBD | Fox, Fubo |
Wednesday, Oct. 30
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 5*: AL vs. NL | TBD | Fox, Fubo |
* - if necessary
Friday, Nov. 1
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 6*: AL vs. NL | TBD | Fox, Fubo |
* - if necessary
Saturday, Nov. 2
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
Game 7*: AL vs. NL | TBD | Fox, Fubo |
* - if necessary