Mets vs. Dodgers: NLCS matchups, predictions and preview

The Dodgers had MLB’s best record this season and won a five-game NLDS against an impressive Padres team, but no team has been hotter for longer than the Mets.The franchises will meet in the playoffs for the fourth time after the Dodgers won in the 1988 NLCS and the Mets turned the tables in the NLDS in 2006 and 2015. The Post’s Dan Martin takes a look at how the teams match up heading into Game 1 in Los Angeles on Sunday night. The Dodgers had the league’s top offense and a relentless lineup during the regular season, with Shohei Ohtani at the top and Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernandez also difficult to get out.

But the Mets’ lineup has flourished in October, sparked by Mark Vientos, Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor.Though Starling Marte showed flashes of his old self late in the regular season and in the wild-card series, he’s coming off a disappointing NLDS in which he went 1-for-11. Edge: Dodgers Ohtani’s first postseason series of his storied career didn’t feature any iconic moments.

It’s hard to imagine that won’t change moving forward.Freeman returned from the ankle sprain he suffered during the final week of the regular season, but his power was mostly absent in the NLDS, and he missed Game 4 of the series due to the injury.

Ohtani, Betts and Hernandez could help make up for this.Alonso has rediscovered his home run swing, and Vientos has been a playoff revelation after doing the same thing in the regular season.

And no postseason series would be complete for the Mets without a memorable homer from either Alonso or Lindor, who has shaken off his September back injury and helped save their season.The lefty/righty DH combination of Jesse Winker and J.D.

Martinez might be expected to provide some power, but though Winker has delivered, Martinez hasn’t gone deep since Aug.30.

Francisco Alvarez hasn’t shown up much in his first playoff experience. Edge: Dodgers With Freeman hobbled by his ankle, Gavin Lux shaky a...