Royals vs. Mets: Keys for Each Team to Win World Series Game 3

Noah Syndergaard wasn't even alive the last time that the New York Mets climbed out of a 2-0 hole in the World Series way back in 1986.

In Game 3 of the 2015 Fall Classic, the 23-year-old right-hander will be responsible for jump-starting a similar comeback as he takes the mound opposite of Yordano Ventura at Citi Field.

The matchup between Syndergaard and the Kansas City Royals righty promises to be downright electric. During the postseason, Syndergaard's four-seam fastball has averaged 98.5 mph, which makes it the fastest pitch thrown by any big league starter, per MLB.com's Statcast. Meanwhile, Ventura's two-seamer clocks in at second on that list with an average speed of 96.9 mph.

As Syndergaard aims to pitch the Mets back into the series and Ventura attempts to hand the Royals a commanding 3-0 advantage, here are the biggest keys for both sides.

Key No. 1 for the Royals: An Early Hook for Yordano Ventura

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

Manager Ned Yost should be ready to rely heavily on his bullpen in Game 3.

Yordano Ventura has made four starts (including a rain-shortened outing) this October and has yet to make it through the sixth inning. With the Royals sporting a fresh and filthy pen, the back-to-back American League champs won't need Ventura to pitch deep into the night in Game 3, either.

Kansas City's relief corps is fully rested heading into this clash thanks to the work of Johnny Cueto, who spun a complete game on Wednesday at Kauffman Stadium.

"It means a ton," closer Wade Davis told Paul Hagen of MLB.com when asked about the importance of a night of rest. "Everybody's thrown a ton of games this year and any time you can get a day off, especially with your starter throwing a complete game, it's pretty big."

In Game 1, it was the bullpen that came up big. The club's group of relievers combined to throw eight shutout innings while racking up 12 strikeouts.

With that performance, Kansas City smashed the record for the most strikeouts (71) by relievers in a single postseason, per ESPN Stats & Info. The Royals had previously set the record in 2014 by dealing 70 K's.

If Ventura shows any signs of wobbling in the fifth or sixth innings, Yost shouldn't hesitate to call on the pen to slam the door and add to that unreal strikeout total.

Key No. 1 for the Mets: Get a Jolt from Yoenis Cespedes

David Goldman/Associated Press

With the Mets already trailing two games to none, the club simply can't afford to fall behind early in Game 3.

What the Mets need in their return to Citi Field is a fast start to spark the team and the crowd. As Alex Rodriguez noted on the Fox broadcast after Game 2, a homer off the bat of Yoenis Cespedes would be an ideal way for that to happen.

"I would love to see Cespedes hit one [out of] the yard and get the fans going early on," Rodriguez said.

Cespedes did just that back in Game 3 of the National League Division Series when he hammered a home run into the upper deck in left field against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Since that moment, Cespedes hasn't done much of anything at the plate, posting a .188 average (6-for-32).

In the first two games of the World Series, the right-handed masher, who has been dealing with a balky left shoulder, has been especially quiet at the plate (1-for-10). Before the Fall Classic began, the Cuban proclaimed that his shoulder was "110" percent, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

An early blast in Game 3 would be the perfect way for Cespedes to wake up from his slumber and prove that his shoulder is just fine.

Key No. 2 for the Royals: The Legend of Eric Hosmer Grows

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

What makes the Royals lineup so dangerous is that everyone—from the table-setter Alcides Escobar to No. 9 hitter Alex Rios—contributes.

While it's been a classic team effort for Kansas City, no one has delivered more than cleanup hitter Eric Hosmer. In Game 1, the first baseman drove in a pair of runs, including the game-winner. Then in the second game of the series, the lefty provided the go-ahead two-run single.

Since the start of last season's playoff run, Hosmer has been historically productive for the Royals. In his first 28 October clashes, Hosmer has tallied 27 RBI. According to ESPN Stats & Info, only Lou Gehrig drove in more runs (33) in his first 28 games.

As Hosmer explained, the key to his success is that he doesn't waste any time once he steps into the box.

"I just try and be aggressive [in those RBI spots]," Hosmer said, per Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com. "I just try and get something good early to hit and not miss it. With [the Mets], with the stuff that they're featuring on the mound, you can't afford to get in a hole with these guys."

Based on that breakdown, Noah Syndergaard would be wise to avoid the strike zone early in the count if he faces Hosmer with runners on board.

Key No. 2 for the Mets: Some Home-Cooking for Noah Syndergaard

Alex Gallardo/Associated Press

Noah Syndergaard has been awfully good at home.

In 2015, the rookie has reeled off an 8-2 record and a 2.41 ERA while pitching at Citi Field during the regular season and the playoffs, per MLB.com.

Based on the way that manager Terry Collins talked about his first-year starter after the Game 2 beatdown in Kansas City, there's no question that the skipper expects that trend to continue.

“He has no fear, he believes he belongs here,’’ Collins said, per Kevin Kernan of the New York Post. “And that speaks volumes. When you’ve got that kind of stuff and you’re not afraid to throw it and you’re not afraid to give up a hit because you think you can get the next guy out, you can get dangerous."

Collins isn't the only person who thinks Syndergaard will be dangerous in Game 4. According to Kernan, Syndergaard was the consensus pick when he asked a panel of talent evaluators which Met was throwing the best entering the World Series.

Note: All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and MLB.com.

If you want to talk baseball, find me on Twitter @KarlBuscheck.