‘Good Chance’ J.D. Martinez Plays Game 3; Senga’s Game 5 Status Unsure

At a Citi Field news conference Tuesday, manager Carlos Mendoza revealed that J.D. Martinez is likely to get his first NLCS start in Game 3.

Martinez slumped through September but went 4-for-14 over the first two rounds of the playoffs. The Dodgers are starting right-hander Walker Buehler in Game 3 so it is a mini-surprise that Mendoza said “there’s a good chance” Martinez will get the nod at designated hitter over left-handed hitting Jesse Winker.

Other News & Notes From Mendoza’s Press Conference

Jose Quintana is officially the Game 4 starter, and Mendoza said “we’ll see” was his word on whether Kodai Senga would get the Game 5 start. It probably depends on the situation of the series and whether Senga’s mechanics feel right, which he pinpointed as a concern following his rough Game 1.

Mendoza also weighed in on Francisco Lindor being left out Tuesday as one of three finalists for the Gold Glove award at shortstop. The finalists are Dansby Swanson, Masyn Winn and Ezequiel Tovar.

“If you ask (Lindor), the one thing he’ll tell you is he’s not here to win personal awards,” Mendoza said. “He’s here to win the whole thing, which is the World Series, and that’s his goal.” However, he added: “He’s an elite defender. I was shocked that he wasn’t even in the finals.”

In other news, the Mets will wear their black uniforms in Game 3, a call made by starter Luis Severino: “I like black,” he said.

The post ‘Good Chance’ J.D. Martinez Plays Game 3; Senga’s Game 5 Status Unsure appeared first on Metsmerized Online.