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Mets’ Severino, Dodgers’ Buehler followed similar arcs to NLCS Game 3
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Mets’ Severino, Dodgers’ Buehler followed similar arcs to NLCS Game 3

In the latest biggest game of the season for both teams, the Mets roll into Game 3 of the NL Championship Series on Wednesday with Luis Severino 2024, a successful reclamation project that is one of the reasons they’ve gotten this far.

The Dodgers will go against Luis Severino in 2023 – sort of.

It will be Severino against righthander Walker Buehler, who has mixed injuries with ineffectiveness all year, a combination with which Severino became deeply familiar in the not-too-distant past.

“At least my body often feels like it’s in the right position and kind of has an idea of ​​where the ball is going,” Buehler said Tuesday night of his current state.

Severino and Buehler, both 30, have never met but have pursued similar careers. They were blossoming top prospects for premier franchises in their early to mid-20s, with a pair of All-Star nods and a pair of top-10 Cy Young Award finishes to each of their names. They then underwent Tommy John surgery and upon return their performance suffered greatly.

Severino may have reimagined it this season with the Mets, posting a 3.91 ERA in 31 starts after signing a one-year, $13 million contract.

Buehler appears to be a year behind in their shared curve, putting together a regular season that looked an awful lot like Severino’s swan song with the Yankees: 5.38 ERA in 16 starts. He will become a free agent after this season.

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

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

Severino has thrown 194 innings this year, both the regular season and the playoffs combined. Over the past five years he has had a total of 230.

“I won’t say surprised (to be healthy), but I’m happy with myself,” he said. “The Mets did a good job with me. The trainers, they’re incredible. And I think I learned a lot this year about how my body (works). I am no longer the same man as I was five years ago, I understand that I have grown a little older. So 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 is Yoshinobu Yamamoto (the best pitcher) and probably Jack Flaherty (who eliminated the Mets in Game 1). The Mets counter with Jose Quintana and a pitcher to be determined.

The Dodgers went with 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 has made five such outings, one of which qualified as a quality start. In his only game in these playoffs, he pitched five innings and gave up six runs – all in the second before settling – against the Padres.

“I don’t know if ‘thrive’ is the right word,” Buehler said of his postseason history. “Obviously, I’ve given up some big home runs over the years. But I certainly enjoy it, and I know our team enjoys playing in environments like that. It makes the game a little different and a little more fun. So I’m looking forward to it.”

Buehler and Roberts emphasized that his last six starts have been better, even if the results don’t reflect that in a significant way. 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 feeling back and really get your feet back and understand who you are as a pitcher coming out of surgery.

“Now we are at the end of that year, away from surgery. I spoke to Walker yesterday and obviously he has never lacked confidence, but physically he is in a good place. And he certainly lives for big moments.

“What better way to change the bad taste you had in a regular season than by letting him have a dominant postseason? And it is now on the heater.”

Notes & quotes: JD Martinez has a “good chance” to crack the Game 3 lineup at DH, Carlos Mendoza said. He sat out the first two games. . . The Mets have one 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 to place this,” Lindor said. “I had a good defensive year, but I think there are other players who had a better defensive year than me.” . . The Mets will wear their black uniforms on Wednesday, according to Severino, who was selected as the starter. . . Darryl Strawberry throws the ceremonial first pitch to Dwight Gooden on Wednesday. Thursday it’s Robin Ventura against Edgardo Alfonzo. And on Friday, Matt Harvey vs. Yoenis Cespedes.