The Los Angeles Dodgers are waiting, the stadium is prepped, and Tuesday’s wild card series opener is circled in red. But here is the thing—the biggest challenge of the team might not be on the field. It might be to keep a straight face, given who, after all, is coming to town to face them.

Because let’s be real—the entire year you expect a dogfight, but given the opponents they are to face now, they can’t possibly take them seriously. They are the teams who are tripping over their own shoelaces. Their contenders are the New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds. One team is limping all the way; the other can’t decide whether it wants to belong there at all.

The New York Mets (82-78) have looked like a comedy act since mid-June. They are 37-54 in that stretch, 6-13 in September, and they collapsed again against the Miami Marlins on Friday with a 6-2 loss. Mendoza admitted too that, “We put ourselves in this position…we did it to ourselves.” And honestly, the Mets fans wouldn’t agree.

Bob Nightengale showed the mirror, saying, “The Dodgers will publicly tell you they really don’t care who they’re facing, but if they had their druthers, surely they would prefer the Mets.” This assessment makes perfect sense, and Nightengale highlights the pitching staff. This is true because the rotation has been in such dire condition that they are not relying on Sean Manea or Clay Holmes; they are holding onto three rookies’ ropes.

Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat, and Jonah Tong—names that were thrust upon us just this season. Even if they somehow manage to survive the weekends, the Mets don’t know who would pitch Game 162, let alone Game 1 in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, the Reds are no laughing matter. Sure, their offense needs work, but their rotation is a no-brainer. Hunter Greene, Brady Singer, and Nick Lodolo are the absolute best at what they do. Green’s fastball is enough to give the opponent’s lineup nightmares, and he is LA’s biggest roadblock.

As Reds infielder Gavin Lux mentioned, “We’re like cockroaches, man. You can’t kill us.” And if they can sneak in, then maybe nobody would want to face their arms. For now, the Mets have turned into the league’s punchline for being a superstar-studded dud team. The Dodgers are smiling now, but if Greene is on the mound next week, then surely no one in blue will be laughing.

For now, the Dodgers might already be making changes to the bullpen!

Is Roki Sasaki the Dodgers’ closer?

As the postseason comes closer, the Dodgers find themselves at a decision that can essentially define what postseason games are going to look like. Do they stick with Tanner Scott, who has struggled plenty, or hand the ninth inning to rookie sensation Roki Sasaki? It sounds bold, given he is just back from the injured list. But he makes a strong case.

The 23-year-old’s fastball touches 100 mph, and his splitters vanish midair, and he can handle pressure. Once he started, he has been shifted to a high-leverage relief since being back from injury. The results have been electric, and every time he enters, there is a current of energy that passes through the fans. Meanwhile, Scott is doing nothing that sparks confidence in the team or the fans.

Scott is inconsistent, and that volatility is okay in June but not in October, and even Dave Roberts knows this. MLB insider Tom Verducci just revealed that the Dodgers will be testing Sasaki in the late innings. Take it like a playoff audition, and if he thrives, then the closer job could be his. The bullpen honestly needs the boost.

Injuries have riddled the veterans like Blake Treinen and Kirby Yates, and others have not performed to their best. So, Sasaki at the back could reset the relief structure. But yes, trusting a rookie in October is risky. But look at the Mets—they sure are!