Philly Leader

The New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies are set to face off in the 2024 National League Division Series, marking their first postseason encounter. This matchup promises intense competition both on the field and among fans.

Key player matchups include Bryce Harper against Pete Alonso, Trea Turner versus Francisco Lindor, Kyle Schwarber facing J.D. Martinez, and Alec Bohm taking on Mark Vientos.

At catcher, Francisco Alvarez of the Mets has struggled offensively, while J.T. Realmuto of the Phillies remains a top performer. "Realmuto has also homered in six of the Phillies’ seven series over the past two postseasons."

For first base, Pete Alonso's significant contributions for the Mets contrast with Bryce Harper's consistent performance for the Phillies. Harper ended with an impressive .898 OPS this season.

Second base sees a close contest between Jose Iglesias of the Mets and Bryson Stott of the Phillies. While Iglesias excelled offensively in limited playtime, Stott's defense remained strong despite his offensive decline.

Third base is another tight race as Alec Bohm had a strong start for Philadelphia but cooled off later in the season. Meanwhile, Mark Vientos had a breakout year with 27 home runs for New York.

Shortstop features two top players: Francisco Lindor from New York and Trea Turner from Philadelphia. Lindor had an MVP-level season with crucial performances leading to postseason qualification.

In left field, Brandon Nimmo stands out for New York with notable stats including 23 home runs. The Phillies' outfield plans involve Austin Hays and Brandon Marsh sharing duties.

Center field advantage goes to New York as Tyrone Taylor offers more power than Johan Rojas from Philadelphia despite Rojas' defensive prowess.

Nick Castellanos gives Philadelphia an edge in right field over veteran Starling Marte from New York who experienced a downturn this season.

Designated hitter leans towards Kyle Schwarber of Philadelphia due to his historic postseason home run record compared to J.D. Martinez’s experience for New York.

Philadelphia’s starting rotation appears stronger due to strategic alignment possibilities allowing Zack Wheeler to lead Game 1 against Luis Severino of New York who recently played in a Wild Card game.

Lastly, bullpen analysis favors Philadelphia after trade deadline moves strengthened their lineup around Carlos Estévez among others; however Edwin Díaz remains pivotal for New York's bullpen success during playoffs.