Mets vs Dodgers Timeline: Decades of Coastal Warfare and Rivalry

The relationship between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers is one of the most storied and culturally significant rivalries in Major League Baseball. What began as a transition of franchises in the late 1950s evolved into a fierce, multi-generational battle for National League supremacy. This mets vs dodgers timeline tracks every pivotal moment from the birth of the Mets to the high-stakes postseason clashes of the mid-2020s.

The Genetic Connection: 1957–1962

To understand the mets vs dodgers timeline, one must look back to the void left in New York City when the Brooklyn Dodgers moved to Los Angeles after the 1957 season. The departure left millions of National League fans in New York without a team.

In 1962, the New York Mets were born to fill that vacuum. The franchise intentionally adopted "Dodger Blue" as its primary color and "Giant Orange" from the departing New York Giants to pay homage to the city's National League roots. From the very first pitch in Mets history, the Dodgers were a constant benchmark of the success the new club hoped to replicate. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, the matchups were defined by the Dodgers' established dominance and the Mets' slow ascent from "Lovable Losers" to the "Miracle Mets" of 1969.

The 1988 NLCS: The David and Goliath Upset

The year 1988 remains perhaps the most significant chapter in the mets vs dodgers timeline. The Mets entered the National League Championship Series as heavy favorites, having won 100 games and dominating the Dodgers in the regular season (winning 10 out of 11 games).

• Game 1 (October 4): The Mets staged a dramatic ninth-inning rally against Orel Hershiser and Jay Howell. A two-run double by Gary Carter secured a 3-2 victory, silencing the crowd at Dodger Stadium.
• Game 2 (October 5): Controversy erupted after Mets pitcher David Cone authored a newspaper column critiquing the Dodgers' bullpen. The Dodgers responded by knocking Cone out of the game early, winning 6-3.
• Game 4 (October 9): A turning point in franchise histories. Down 4-2 in the ninth, Mike Scioscia hit a legendary two-run home run off Dwight Gooden. The Dodgers eventually won in the 12th inning, shifting the momentum of the entire series.
• Game 7 (October 12): Orel Hershiser delivered a masterclass, throwing a complete-game shutout to clinch the series for Los Angeles.

This series established that no matter how dominant the Mets appeared on paper, the Dodgers possessed a postseason resilience that would define their matchups for decades.

The 2006 NLDS: New York’s Revenge

Nearly twenty years after the 1988 heartbreak, the two teams met again in the 2006 National League Division Series. This era featured a Mets roster stacked with offensive power. The Mets swept the Dodgers 3-0, marking one of the few times in the mets vs dodgers timeline where the New York club completely dismantled the Los Angeles squad in October. The series was characterized by a high-octane Mets offense that outscored the Dodgers 19-10 over three games, proving the Mets could dominate the bright lights of the postseason.

The 2015 NLDS: Tension and The Slide

The rivalry took a darker turn in the 2015 postseason. This series is remembered for Game 2, when a hard slide by Chase Utley broke the leg of Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada. The incident sparked national debate regarding player safety and ignited a furious motivation within the Mets clubhouse.

Despite the controversy, the series was a back-and-forth thriller. It culminated in Game 5 at Dodger Stadium, where Daniel Murphy—in the midst of a historic postseason run—hit a deciding home run against Zack Greinke. The Mets won the game 3-2 and the series 3-2, advancing to the World Series. This victory solidified the 2010s as a period where the Mets were finally able to stand toe-to-toe with the Dodgers' financial and talent-heavy roster.

The 2024 NLCS: A Modern Epic

Fast forward to the 2024 season, a year that redefined the mets vs dodgers timeline for the modern era. The Dodgers, led by a record-breaking lineup, faced a Mets team that had made a miraculous second-half run to reach the NLCS.

• Game 1 (October 13): The Dodgers showcased their power, shutting out the Mets 9-0 at home. Jack Flaherty dominated, and the Los Angeles bullpen continued a historic scoreless streak.
• Game 2 (October 14): The Mets bounced back with a 7-3 win, highlighted by a Francisco Lindor leadoff home run and a grand slam from Mark Vientos. This win snapped the Dodgers' 33-inning scoreless streak.
• Game 3 & 4: The Dodgers reasserted control in New York, winning 8-0 and 10-2. The gap in rotation depth became apparent as the Los Angeles lineup exploited the Mets' pitching staff.
• Game 5 (October 18): With their backs against the wall at Citi Field, the Mets erupted for 12 runs. Pete Alonso’s early three-run blast set the tone for a 12-6 victory, forcing the series back to the West Coast.
• Game 6 (October 20): Back in Los Angeles, the Dodgers' offense was too much to contain. A 10-5 victory for the Dodgers ended the Mets' season.

The 2024 series was notable for its extreme swings—shutouts followed by high-scoring explosions—reflecting the volatility of modern baseball analytics and bullpen usage.

The 2025 Regular Season Exchange

The 2025 season saw these two titans meet seven times in the regular season, and surprisingly, the Mets held a slight edge, winning the season series 4-3.

• The May/June Series: The teams played a grueling set of games. On May 23, 2025, the Dodgers won a 13-inning marathon 7-5. However, the Mets responded by winning two out of the next three games in that same stretch.
• The June Home Stand: In early June 2025, the Mets took two of three games at Citi Field. These games were defined by elite pitching, with three of the four Mets wins being decided by just one run.

By the end of 2025, the all-time head-to-head record stood at approximately 378 wins for the Dodgers and 301 wins for the Mets (including postseason). While the Dodgers maintain a significant historical lead, the gap in competitive quality has narrowed significantly in recent years.

2026: The Current State of Play

As of April 21, 2026, the baseball world is looking at a National League landscape where both the Mets and Dodgers are projected to be division leaders. The early 2026 season has already hinted at another collision course.

Currently, both teams have prioritized rotation stability. The Dodgers have continued their strategy of aggressive free-agent acquisitions and farm-system integration, while the Mets have focused on a balanced lineup and high-leverage bullpen arms. The first series of 2026 is scheduled for early May, and ticket demand is already surpassing 2024 levels.

Statistical Summary and Historical Milestones

To provide a clearer view of the mets vs dodgers timeline, here is a summary of their head-to-head performance across different eras:

Why the Rivalry Endures

The mets vs dodgers timeline is more than just a list of scores. It represents the cultural divide between New York and Los Angeles. New York fans often view the Dodgers as the ones who "got away," making every victory over them feel like a reclamation of city pride. Conversely, Los Angeles fans view the Mets as an aggressive challenger to their perennial throne at the top of the National League.

As the 2026 season progresses, the anticipation for their next meeting continues to build. Whether it is a random Tuesday night in May or a high-stakes October evening, the matchups between these two clubs remain a cornerstone of the MLB calendar. The timeline is far from over; it is merely waiting for the next dramatic chapter to be written in the dirt of the diamond.