The Los Angeles Dodgers entered Game 5 of the NLCS with all the momentum in the world.

The NL West champions steamrolled the New York Mets in Game 3 (8-0) and Game 4 (10-2) to move one win from advancing to the World Series, but the Mets came out swinging on Friday night to extend the series and their season.

However, the Dodgers didn't simply roll over after falling behind 10-2 after four innings. They fought back to make things interesting en route to a 12-6 final score.

The 3-2 series now shifts back to Dodger Stadium on Sunday night, and while the Mets still face a significant uphill battle needing to win two games on the road, they have at least swung the momentum enough to make things interesting.

Let's dig into a few notable takeaways from Game 5.

Pete Alonso's Case to Be Re-Signed Grows Stronger

The Mets face a big decision regarding slugger Pete Alonso this offseason. The homegrown star is set to reach free agency for the first time in his career.

The 29-year-old reportedly turned down a seven-year, $158 million extension offer in June 2023 and could have a tough time exceeding that offer on the open market, considering the going rate for an offensive-minded first baseman.

However, the Mets could make bringing him back their top priority this winter at whatever price is required, and he got the scoring started on Friday night with a three-run home run in the first inning.

Since bursting onto the scene with a rookie record 53 home runs season in 2019, his 226 home runs trail only Aaron Judge (232), and there is little question he's one of the game's most prolific sluggers.

Between his tone-setting blast on Friday night and his season-saving home run off Devin Williams in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series, Alonso has proven he can come up with the biggest hit on the biggest stage.

His market value is certainly up for debate, but losing him would create a glaring void in the middle of the Mets lineup.

The Mets would be wise to move quickly to complete a new deal this winter, assuring their homegrown star wants to stay for the foreseeable future.

Andy Pages Could Be the Answer to Replacing Teoscar Hernández

Assuming they make an outside addition to upgrade the shortstop position, the Dodgers have Tommy Edman penciled into the starting center field job and Mookie Betts manning right field for 2025.

Left field is up in the air.

Slugger Teoscar Hernández has been a great addition to the offense on a one-year, $23.5 million, posting a 137 OPS+ with 32 doubles, 33 home runs, 99 RBI and 4.3 WAR in 154 games.

Given all the money they already have on the books and other potential areas of need, the Dodgers will likely let him walk in free agency, and he could be headed for a nine-figure payday as one of the top bats available this winter.

While they could explore outside alternatives, rookie Andy Pages submitted his application to be the guy on Friday night when he became the youngest player in Dodgers history with a two-homer game in the playoffs.

The 23-year-old got off to a hot start after making his MLB debut on April 16, and while he quickly leveled off, Pages still finished with a 102 OPS+ and 13 home runs in 443 plate appearances.

With a 31-homer season at High-A in 2021 and a 26-homer encore at Double-A the following season, he has a strong track record of production, and his performance in Game 5 serves as a great reminder he has the potential to be an impact offensive player.

The Mets Offense Can Make Some Serious Noise

After plating just two runs in 18 innings across Game 3 and Game 4, the Mets offense came to life on Friday night as they piled up 14 hits and 12 runs, and there were standouts up and down the lineup.

• Pete Alonso: 2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, 4 R
• Starling Marte: 4-for-5, 3 2B, 3 RBI, R
• Jesse Winker: 2-for-3, 3B, RBI, 3 R
• Francisco Alvarez: 3-for-4, 2B, RBI, 
• Francisco Lindor: 2-for-4, 3B, RBI, 2 R
• Brandon Nimmo: 1-for-4, RBI, R
• Jeff McNeil: 2 RBI

They also pulled off a rare feat by not striking out the entire game:

If the Mets are going to pull off the unlikely comeback in this series, it will be up to that offense to continue shouldering the load, especially when the Dodgers can put up a crooked number of their own at any point.

Will the Postseason Impact Jack Flaherty's Free Agency?

Few players did more to boost their free agency stock during the regular season than Jack Flaherty, who signed a one-year, $14 million deal with the Detroit Tigers last offseason following a lackluster 2023 campaign.

He went 13-7 with a 3.17 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 194 strikeouts in 162 innings, moving from the Tigers to the Dodgers at the trade deadline and continuing to pitch at a high level.

Amid a wave of injuries, he entered the playoffs as the Dodgers' de facto ace, and his playoff performance to date has been a mixed bag:

• NLDS Game 2: L, 5.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• NLCS Game 1: W, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
• NLCS Game 5: L, 3.0 IP, 8 H, 8 ER, 4 BB, 0 K

Will his shaky performance in Game 5 impact his market this offseason while he tries to chase down a massive payday?

He sits in a gray area between elite options like Corbin Burnes and Blake Snell and mid-level options likely to settle for short-term deals, so it's not out of the question to think this could move the needle in the wrong way on his earning power.

Barring a collapse, he should have at least one more opportunity to toe the rubber, but he was far from his best on Friday night.

Looking Ahead to Game 6

The Mets will hand the ball to Sean Manaea with the season on the line on Sunday, and he has been the team's best pitcher for much of the year.

The veteran left-hander had a stretch of 11 starts during the second half of the season where he went 6-1 with a 2.63 ERA, 0.76 WHIP and 82 strikeouts in 72 innings, limiting opposing hitters to a .155 average during that stretch.

The 32-year-old has been fantastic so far this postseason as well, going 2-0 with a 2.65 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 17 strikeouts in 17 innings over three starts.

He will be opposed by a bullpen game for the Dodges, with rookie Landon Knack as a potential bulk reliever in an all-hands-on-deck approach. A gutsy performance from Brent Honeywell soaking up 4.2 innings of relief work helped keep everyone else fresh.

The Mets won 7-3 in Game 2 when the Dodgers also went with a game-by-committee, so they will be hoping for a better outcome on Sunday while facing elimination.

Will we see another lopsided result after a series of blowouts?

Can the Mets keep their season alive?

Are the Dodgers inevitable at this point?

See you all on Sunday night!