Heading into Miami with their destiny in their own hands, the Mets fumbled the bag in the biggest way possible. They lost two out of three to the Marlins to miss out on the playoffs.

While this team has been imploding for the last three-plus months, the way events unfolded this weekend will likely leave a lasting stain on this franchise for years to come.

After all, the Mets arrived in Miami on Friday, a game ahead of the Reds with three to play. The third Wild Card spot was there for the taking. Instead, New York laid an absolute egg in the opener to put Cincinnati back in the driver’s seat for the rest of the weekend. With both teams winning on Saturday, and with the Reds holding the tiebreaker, it all came down to the final day of the regular season on Sunday.

And, again, it was there for the taking. With the Reds losing to the Brewers, all the Mets had to do was win to sneak back into the playoffs. However, they were shut out 4-0 by the Marlins to seal the most embarrassing and frustrating collapse in franchise history.

We will have a special season review edition of 3 Up, 3 Down later. But, for now, let’s proceed with our regular scheduled programming…

David Banks-Imagn Images

3 UP

DOING HIS PART

It feels stupid to write about positives the day after the Mets completed their epic collapse by missing out on the playoffs. Alas, it is part of the gig, so the show must go on. Arguably one of the biggest plus points to emerge from the weekend was the clutchness of Pete Alonso. The slugger did everything in his power to try to keep the Mets alive against the Marlins. He drove in a run with an RBI double in the series opener. He led the way in an important win on Saturday with a home run and an RBI double.

Then, on Sunday, Alonso blasted a 115.9 mph rocket with the bases loaded. Sadly, luck wasn’t on his side, with the hardest-hit ball by any Met this season flying straight into the glove of Marlins outfielder Javier Sanoja. It was just one of those days and one of those seasons. However, Alonso can’t be blamed for the collapse, nor can he be blamed for the shortcomings in Miami. He did all he could.

HEROIC START

The Mets needed a hero on Saturday. And they got one in Clay Holmes. Channeling the herculean efforts of John Maineand Johan Santana, Holmes delivered a masterpiece when the Mets needed it the most. The reliever turned starter tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out two. Despite having pitched nearly 100 more innings than his normal workload, Holmes put forward his best start of the entire year. He was masterful on the mound, shutting down the Marlins and doing whatever it took to get the job done. Ultimately, it didn’t matter, but Holmes at least gave his team a fighting chance going into the final day. And that will be remembered.

MASTER OF HIS CRAFT

While the team failed as a collective unit, Edwin Díaz put together a majestic individual season in 2025. The closer was money all year for the Mets, and that continued across the final weekend in Miami. He entered the ninth inning of Saturday’s game and sealed the win with a scoreless inning. The three-time All-Star was even better on Sunday. Thanks to manager Carlos Mendoza mismanaging the pitching in the finale, Díaz was asked to come into the game in the fifth inning. He responded by delivering two scoreless innings to keep the game alive and give his offense a chance. And, according to reports, Díaz even expressed a willingness to stay in the game beyond the sixth. Like Holmes and Alonso, Díaz more than did his job this weekend.

Sep 28, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (64) looks on against the Miami Marlins during the eighth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

FUMBLING THE BAG

As we mentioned up top, the Mets arrived in Miami with everything in their favor. All they had to do was take care of business against an already eliminated Marlins team, and the final Wild Card spot would be theirs. However, as we’ve seen over the last three-plus months, the Mets are not a good baseball team, and we got a stark reminder of that over the weekend. An ugly, humiliating, season-changing meltdown on Friday was the start of an all-time epic collapse reaching its conclusion.

Then, needing just a win on Sunday to get in with the Reds having lost to the Brewers, the Mets couldn’t even score a single run on the way to missing the postseason most embarrassingly. Forget talent; this team just did not play with a pulse or a heart when it mattered most. They choked and put up little fight on the way to sealing an absolute bust of a season.

SELF-ENFORCED WOUNDS

The Mets only hurt themselves on the way to collapsing out of the playoffs. They did not play good baseball for two out of the three games in Miami, and they were suitably punished. Mental mistakes and self-enforced errors were the theme of the night in an ugly 6-2 loss on Friday. The offense also didn’t show, going 1-for-10 with RISP, leaving seven runners stranded on base. It was a similar story in Sunday’s finale, with the lineup finishing 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position while managing just five hits all game. Again, all the Mets had to do this weekend was win two games, and they would have now been preparing to take on the Dodgers in the Wild Card round. Instead, the same old mistakes that have plagued this team all year doomed them on the final weekend.

MANAGING TO LOSE

Carlos Mendoza was seen as a rising star after his highly successful first year in the dugout in 2024. However, a lot of that shine has now faded following a disastrous 2025 season. Mendoza made a ton of mistakes and a slew of questionable decisions this year. That was again the case in Miami. He took Brandon Sproat out of the game on Friday and opted to put in Gregory Soto, who hasn’t been great in Queens. The result? Soto allowed two more runs to score, essentially throwing away a game the Mets couldn’t afford to lose.

In a must-win game to end all other must-win games on Sunday, Mendoza’s ability to manage the game left a lot to be desired. He decided to start the struggling Sean Manaea in a big spot and then pulled him after just 1.2 innings. Mendoza then went with Brooks Raley and Ryne Stanek, who combined to allow a back-breaking three earned runs.

Edwin Díaz was warmed up in the bullpen, but Mendoza decided to put Tyler Rogers in the game first, who gave up another run to make it a 4-0 game. Díaz then entered in the fifth and pitched two scoreless innings, but by that point, it was too late. If that wasn’t bad enough, Mendoza decided not to put Starling Marte in the game as a pinch-hitter in the ninth. That’s even though Ronny Mauricio and Cedric Mullins were the first two hitters up. In a game the Mets had to win to make the playoffs, Mendoza wasn’t nearly aggressive enough. And he also needs to take blame for just how lifeless his team looked in huge spots on Friday and again on Sunday.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Wrap Up Season Implosion In Miami appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

“He was just attacking the zone,” Pete Alonso said after the 5-0 victory in Miami. “I mean he was unbelievable. Unbelievable at executing pitches. He had a couple guys on base and then he worked out of it flawlessly. He just commanded the ball really well, attacked, and let the defense go to work. It was a phenomenal, phenomenal start by him. His ball, it was moving all over the place.”

“It’s a must-win game,” Holmes said. “I think at any point, whether it’s the World Series or the second-to-last game of the regular season, those games mean a lot. And you can definitely feel that.”

Manager Carlos Mendoza said he stuck with Holmes longer than he expected because he was pitching so well. He threw 46 of 78 pitches for strikes, struck out two and induced 11 groundouts, often with an effective sinker.

“With how good he was throwing the ball, it was hard to take him out,” the manager said. “But we knew that somewhere between 65, 70 pitches, you know, maybe twice through the lineup. But I’m watching the game right there and man he was pretty solid. I think I gave him an extra inning and I’m glad it worked.”

Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Holmes finishes a regular season where he transitioned from the bullpen at 12-8 with a 3.53 ERA in 31 starts. He struck out 129 in 165 2/3 innings pitched, more than doubling his previous career high in innings pitched of 70. He was ninth in the National League in ERA.

“For him to continue to take the baseball, not an easy transition,” Mendoza said. “When you are looking at the innings, compared to where he was career-wise, and for him to be feeling this good this time of the year and how much we use him, it says a lot about him and the work that he put in. Not only in the offseason, but through the season.”

Holmes’ excellent work was also eerie.

In 2007 and 2008, the Mets lost two of three to the Marlins to miss the playoffs on the final weekend of the regular season. In both years, New York lost Friday, won Saturday behind a great pitching performance, and then lost Sunday.

In 2007, John Maine struck out 14 over 7 2/3 innings. In 2008, Johan Santana fired a three-hit shutout and fanned nine. The Maine game, like Holmes’, was also a combined one-hit shutout. The Santana game was exactly 17 years ago Saturday.

The Mets, of course, hope that Sunday’s game doesn’t follow the pattern of 2007 and 2008.

“Once we finish the job and get in the playoffs, it will be a little bit more satisfying,” Holmes said of his outing. Added Mendoza: “I’m hoping this is not the last time we see him pitch this year.”

The post Clay Holmes Ends First Full Regular Season As A Starter Superbly appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets (82-78) fell to the Marlins (78-82) 6-2 Friday night. New York got out to a 2-0 lead just four batters into the game but couldn’t muster up any offense afterwards. The team’s sloppy defense continued, and it contributed greatly to a six-run fifth inning for the Marlins that put the game to bed.

Meanwhile, the Reds (82-78) won their game over the Brewers (96-64) 3-1 to put the Mets back on the outside looking in. The Mets and Reds once again own the same record, but with the Reds holding the tiebreaker, they have taken back control of the third Wild Card spot. The Diamondbacks fell 7-4 to the Padres, so it’s officially down to two teams.

As the Mets try to squeeze back into a playoff spot, it was reported late Friday night that they’ve called up flamethrower Dylan Ross. Will Sammon of The Athletic was first with the news.

Ross owns a 2.17 ERA across three minor league levels this season. He worked his way back from two UCL surgeries, as discussed in further detail in an exclusive Metsmerized interview by Mojo Hill this past summer.

Ross’s campaign includes a 1.69 ERA over 32 innings in the hitter-friendly International League. He has an 11 K/9 in that span, although accompanied by a 6.2 BB/9.

He adds a weapon to the Mets’ beleaguered bullpen over these crucial final two days of the regular season.

Dylan Ross. Photo by Kylie-Richelle

Latest Mets News

Brett Baty left Friday’s game with side discomfort after appearing to tweak something on a swing early in the game. The Mets announced after the game that it was an oblique injury, and there’s a fear Baty is done for the season.

Prior to Friday’s game, manager Carlos Mendoza announced that Clay Holmes would start Saturday’s game against Miami and that Sunday’s starter was to be determined. Mendoza, on constructing the rotation, said “this is literally one day at a time.”

According to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, doctors have recommended that Reed Garrett get Tommy John surgery, but he is seeking a second opinion first. Garrett would be out all of next season if he does in fact need the surgery.

Latest MLB News

After walking off the Tigers Friday night, the Red Sox clinched a postseason berth for the first time since 2021.

MLB released the top 20 jersey sales from this season. Shohei Ohtani had MLB’s most popular jersey for the third consecutive year, while the Mets had three players inside the top 20: Francisco Lindor (no. 5), Juan Soto (no. 6), and Pete Alonso (no. 17).

Pete Crow-Armstrong hit his 30th home run of the season on Friday to join the 30-30 club for the first time in his career. Sammy Sosa was the only other Cub to have achieved the feat.

The Braves announced that they claimed former standout pitcher Alek Manoah off waivers from the Blue Jays and transferred Ozzie Albies to the 60-day injured list to make room on the roster. Manoah had a 3.96 ERA in 10 minor league starts this season and last pitched in the majors in May of 2024.

Baseball Savant added a feature to pitchers’ pages which displays their pitch mixes to righties and to lefties.

Latest on MMO

Kai Chang discusses why Nolan McLean got the job done in Thursday’s win over the Cubs despite seemingly poor numbers.

On This Date in Mets History

2000: The Mets punched their ticket to the postseason with a 6-2 win over the Braves, clinching a Wild Card spot. The Mets would go on to win the National League pennant.

Born on This Date: Luis Guillorme (1994), John Lannan (1984), Jon Rauch (1978), Jason Phillips (1976), Don Schulze (1962).

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Call Up Dylan Ross For Final Two Games appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After coming up clutch to take two out of three in Chicago, the Mets go into the final weekend of the regular season knowing what they need to do.

Just win and take care of business in Miami.

That’s easier said than done given this team’s history against the Marlins. But, with that said, the Mets did just grind out two huge wins against the Cubs. As a result, they very much control their own destiny.

On that note, let’s recap everything from the Cubs series in 3 Up, 3 Down…

David Banks-Imagn Images

3 UP

STRIKING OUT

Yes, Nolan McLean did allow a career-high three home runs in his outing on Thursday night. However, despite that, the rookie still recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings to help his team claim a vital win. It will go down as a strange outing, sure, but McLean showed his high ceiling. And, despite the five earned runs, he’s probably still in line to start Game 1 of the Wild Card. The fact that McLean was able to grind out his start despite troubles with the long ball should also be viewed as a positive.

CLUTCH HITTING

Besides the second game of the series at Wrigley, the Mets got some gargantuan hits from their offense against the Cubs. Francisco Alvarez delivered arguably one of the biggest hits of his career with a two-run blast that sealed the win in Tuesday’s opener. Brandon Nimmo also came up with a clutch three-run homer that tied the game. Then, in Thursday’s finale, Brett Baty hit a crucial three-run homer in the fourth inning that gave his team a much-needed cushion.

Credit must also go to Francisco Lindor, who enjoyed a monster series. He hit a home run in the series finale, becoming part of the 30/30 club for the third time in his career as a result. Furthermore, Lindor also led off Tuesday’s big win with a leadoff homer while also driving in three runs. All in all, the Mets got clutch hits when they needed them the most against the Cubs.

COMING UP NAILS

Speaking of clutch, the bullpen was also pretty damn impressive in Chicago. Edwin Díaz struck out five of the six batters he faced on Tuesday to help lock down the win. In all, six relievers combined to allow just one earned run in the series opener, with the bullpen called upon to take on an added workload. Ryan Helsley continued his recent resurgence in Wednesday’s game by firing two scoreless innings of relief. He’s now recorded five straight scoreless outings, allowing just two hits and two walks over that six-inning span. Then, in the finale, Díaz, Ryne Stanek, Brooks Raley and Tyler Rogers combined to toss 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two base runners in the process. With the stakes never higher, the bullpen really delivered in Chicago.

Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

END OF THE ROAD

The season could well be over for David Peterson. Barring a bullpen role, it seems unlikely that the veteran will now be trusted in any kind of starter role in the postseason. His concerning second-half struggles continued with just a nightmare outing in the series opener on Tuesday. Peterson was absolutely shelled, giving up five runs on five hits and lasting just 1 1/3 innings. In a critical moment, Peterson came up short and then some. Since the All-Star break, Peterson is pitching to a 6.34 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP. It sure appears as though Peterson is broken, and now is not the time to try and fix him.

TOUGH SPOT

If you want to know just how badly the Mets’ pitching philosophy has failed this year, look at Wednesday night as all the evidence you’ll ever need. Jonah Tong allowed five earned runs on seven hits across just two innings. The rookie has now given up five or more earned runs in two of his last three starts. But it isn’t Tong’s fault. He shouldn’t even be pitching in games that matter this much. He’s clearly not ready, but because of how big a hot mess the rotation is, the Mets have no choice but to throw a young starter right into the fire. It just isn’t fair. And relying on three rookie starters will more than likely burn this team come playoff time.

SLOPPY MESS

As big a series win as this was for the Mets, it is important not to get carried away. After all, they won a monster game on Tuesday only to lay a Godzilla-sized egg the very next night. And it wasn’t pretty. The team committed a bunch of self-enforced mental mistakes on the way to being beat up in a 10-3 loss. Clay Holmes committed a wild pitch and then compounded the matter with a boneheaded mental error. Sean Manaea did not look good out of the bullpen. Mark Vientos couldn’t make a routine play at the hot corner, directly leading to a five-run third inning. And the offense could only manage just four hits all night long. The Mets have proven over the last three-and-a-half months that they are a bad baseball team. They also seem incapable of building any kind of momentum. That page must now be turned in Miami if this team really wants to save its season.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Come Through In Chicago appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets fell 10-3 to the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, as they struggled against Cubs starter Matthew Boyd. Francisco Alvarez was a bright spot with a massive two-run homer, and Juan Soto added a solo shot in the eighth, but the Mets couldn’t overcome the Cubs’ early offensive outburst. Seiya Suzuki, Moisés Ballesteros and Matt Shaw led Chicago’s offense, with Shaw and Michael Busch hitting home runs that put the game out of reach.

Today, the Mets will send rookie Nolan McLean (4-1, 1.27 ERA) to the mound against Japanese southpaw Shota Imanaga (9-7, 3.38 ERA) in the series’ rubber game. First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. ET on SNY.

In the NL Wild Card race, the Reds lost to the Pirates in 11 innings. Paul Skenes outdueled Hunter Greene, and despite the Pirates’ bullpen allowing two runs to tie it, former Met Yohan Ramirez was able to shut the door in the 11th.

The Diamondbacks lost to the Dodgers 5-4 in another 11-inning thriller. This was despite the Dodgers’ bullpen blowing a 4-1 lead in the eighth. The Diamondbacks had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the 10th, with the game tied, but former Met James McCann couldn’t come through. Los Angeles went on to take the lead and hold on in the 11th.

The Mets are fortunate — with losses by all three teams, they remain a game ahead of both the Reds and Diamondbacks with four games to play.

David Banks-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies are your 2025 Eastern League champions!

The Mets have designated outfielder Jose Siri for assignment. Siri, 30, still had two years of team control remaining, but it appears David Stearns preferred a Cedric Mullins/Tyrone Taylor time-split over a Siri/Taylor split.

The Mets lead all organizations in Baseball America Minor League All-Stars this year. Jonah Tong earned First Team honors, while A.J. Ewing, Carson Benge, and Jacob Reimer were all named to the Second Team. Read MMO’s coverage on the news here, via David Melendi.

Kodai Senga’s live BP session on Wednesday in Florida went “just okay,” Carlos Mendoza said (via MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo). His velocity was down to the 93 mph range, and the hot weather seemed to be wearing him out.

The Mets endured seven-game losing streaks in both June and August, followed by an eight-game skid in September. According to Opta Stats, the only team in MLB history with three separate seven-plus-game losing streaks that still made the playoffs was the 2006 Cardinals, who went on to win the World Series.

Mets radio broadcaster Howie Rose “hopes and expects” to return to the Mets radio booth next season but is taking it year by year, he said on The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman. Hear his full comments here:

Latest MLB News

Cal Raleigh hit his 60th home run of the season on Wednesday as the Seattle Mariners clinched their first AL West title since 2001.

Baseball America‘s J.J. Cooper analyzed MLB hitters and pitchers who could potentially benefit from the new ABS challenge system. He notes that even with the new challenge system, called strikes in the “shadow zone” vary widely among hitters, so it’s unclear who will gain the most.

The Washington Nationals are set to hire Paul Toboni as their new head of baseball operations, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Wednesday. Toboni, 35, became assistant GM for the Boston Red Sox in November of 2023 and is considered one of MLB’s top young executives. Toboni oversaw drafts that included Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell, Payton Tolle, Connelly Early and prospects traded for Garrett Crochet.

The Cleveland Guardians announced on Wednesday that David Fry suffered several minor facial and nasal fractures after being hit by a 99-mph fastball from Tarik Skubal. He is expected to make a full recovery in 6-8 weeks without requiring surgery.

Padres outfielder Ramón Laureano has a fractured finger, manager Mike Shildt said (via Dennis Lin of The Athletic), and will miss the first round of the playoffs. The 31-year-old was enjoying a breakout season before the injury, hitting .282/.343/.514 overall. However, he’s been struggling in September, batting just .224/.286/.368.

Latest on MMO

David Melendi looks at southpaw David Peterson and what his role could end up being in the postseaosn.

On This Date in Mets History

2003: After more than 40 years and over 6,000 broadcasts, Bob Murphy calls his final game for the Mets.

2022: Pete Alonso becomes the Mets’ single-season RBI leader when he drives in his 125th run of the year.

Born on This Date: Bill Hepler (1945), David Weathers (1969), Argenis Reyes (1982).

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New York committed four errors in the defeats, went 4-for-21 with runners in scoring position and manager Carlos Mendoza didn’t show the urgency you’d expect in a tight playoff race. The decision to pull Edwin Díaz on Saturday after he threw seven pitches was head-scratching. These games should be managed like the season is on the line. Because it is.

Let’s have a look at the pitching matchups in the most critical series of the year for the three teams within a game of each other with six to play. (We had to make some assumptions for some teams based on rotation order as team probables aren’t updated as of publishing.)

Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Mets (80-76) at Cubs (88-68)

The Mets are 31-44 on the road and the Cubs are 46-29 at home. New York beat Chicago in two out of three games in May.

LHP David Peterson (9-6, 3.98 ERA) vs. RHP Cade Horton (11-4, 2.66 ERA)

Horton is hot and Peterson is not. Both pitchers have thrown 58 1/3 innings since the All-Star Game, which Peterson pitched in. The Cubs rookie has given up six earned runs (0.93 ERA) and the Met lefty has surrendered 37 (5.71 ERA).

RHP Jonah Tong (2-2, 5.94 ERA) vs. LHP Matthew Boyd (13-8, 3.20 ERA)

In Tong’s last time out, he struck out eight and allowed one unearned run over five innings. The start before that he didn’t make it through the first inning. Growing pains should be expected with rookies. The trouble is this is not the best week to be learning on the job.

RHP Brandon Sproat (0-1, 3.94 ERA) vs. LHP Shota Imanaga (9-7, 3.37 ERA)

Sproat has struck out 15 and walked six in his 16 innings pitched. Imanaga faced the Mets twice in his rookie year last season. He threw seven shutout innings the first time and coughed up 10 earned runs in three innings the second.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mets at Marlins (76-80)

I know, it’s the final weekend of the season and the Mets will likely need to beat the Marlins to go to the playoffs. Miami will probably have Dan Uggla throw out the first pitch. The Mets and Marlins have split 10 games. It could be reasonable to expect Kodai Senga back with the team at some point during this series, too.

RHP Nolan McLean (4-1, 1.27 ERA) vs. RHP Sandy Alcantara (10-12, 5.48 ERA)

McLean has gone at least six innings in four of his seven starts and hasn’t given up more than two earned runs in any of them. Alcantara has beat the Mets twice this year, giving up three runs over 12 innings. (McLean is 7 1/3 innings away from

LHP Sean Manaea (2-4, 5.59 ERA) vs. RHP Eury Pérez (7-5, 4.20 ERA)

Manaea may be the starter, but this could be another piggyback game with Clay Holmes (11-8, 3.69 ERA). The Mets knocked Pérez out in the first inning when they faced him in Tong’s MLB debut last month.

LHP Peterson vs. RHP Edward Cabrera (7-7, 3.57 ERA)

These two faced each other last month and neither pitched well. Peterson gave up eight runs in two innings and Cabrera gave up five in four. The Marlins won 11-8.

David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

Pirates (67-89) at Reds (80-76)

The Reds have won five in a row to put themselves in the driver’s seat since they hold the tiebreaker over the Mets. Cincinnati’s last playoff appearance was in 2020 and they haven’t won a playoff game since 2012. The Pirates swept the Dodgers to open September, then dropped 12 of 13 before shutting out the Athletics in their last two games. The Reds have won six of 10 vs. the Pirates this year.

• Tuesday: RHP Johan Oviedo (2-0, 3.52 ERA) vs. RHP Brady Singer (14-10, 3.86 ERA)
• Wednesday: RHP Paul Skenes (10-10, 2.03 ERA) vs. RHP Hunter Greene (7-4, 2.74 ERA)—how about this matchup??
• Thursday: RHP Braxton Ashcraft (4-3, 2.62 ERA) vs. LHP Nick Lodolo (8-8, 3.44 ERA)

Reds at Brewers (95-62)

The Brewers lead the Phillies by 2 1/2 games for the No. 1 seed and home field throughout the playoffs. Milwaukee may have that clinched by Friday so it’s TBD on whether they will have something to play for. Would the Brewers prefer seeing the Reds make the field over the Mets? Vice versa? The Brewers have won seven of 10 vs. Cincinnati.

• Friday: RHP Zack Littell (10-8, 3.86 ERA) vs. RHP Jacob Misiorowski (5-3, 4.38 ERA)
• Saturday: LHP Andrew Abbott (9-7, 2.80 ERA) vs. RHP Chad Patrick (3-8, 3.66 ERA)
• Sunday: RHP Singer vs. TBD—expect Hunter Greene to be available, too, if the Reds’ season is on the line

Dodgers (88-68) at Diamondbacks (79-77)

The Dodgers have clinched a playoff spot, but not the division so they have something to play for. Los Angeles could also still earn a bye though they are four games back of the Phillies so it’s a long shot. Arizona finished with the same 89-73 record as the Mets and Braves last season, but missed the playoffs because of tiebreakers. Here they are again. The Dbacks don’t hold tiebreakers with either the Mets or Reds. They’re a game behind both to start the week, so two losses could tank their chances.

The Dodgers and Diamondbacks have split 10 games this year.

• Tuesday: RHP Shohei Ohtani (1-1, 3.29 ERA) vs. RHP Brandon Pfaadt (13-8, 5.02 ERA)\
• Wednesday: LHP Blake Snell (5-4, 2.44 ERA) vs. RHP Ryne Nelson (7-3, 3.34 ERA)
• Thursday: RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (11-8, 2.58 ERA) vs. RHP Nabil Crismatt (3-0, 2.61 ERA)

Diamondbacks at Padres (86-71)

The Padres could change their rotation to prepare for a likely playoff matchup with the Cubs, but these are the probables right now. The teams have split 10 games.

• Friday: RHP Zac Gallen (13-14, 4.70 ERA) vs.RHP Yu Darvish (4-5, 5.51 ERA)
• Saturday: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (9-8, 4.91 ERA) vs.RHP Michael King (5-3, 3.57 ERA)
• Sunday: RHP Pfaadt vs.RHP Nick Pivetta (13-5, 2.87 ERA)

The post A Pitching Preview of the Critical Week Ahead appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After dropping two out of three to the lowly Nationals over the weekend, the Mets are on the outside in. They are officially out of playoff position for the first time since April 5.

And, with the Reds owning the tiebreaker, the Mets don’t exactly have their own destiny in their hands anymore with just six games remaining.

This weekend could not have gone any worse for New York, who dropped two games thanks to a string of self-enforced errors. That was despite beating up on the Nationals in a series-opening win on Friday night.

On that note, let’s recap the mostly bad, as well as some good, from the Washington series in today’s 3 Up, 3 Down…

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

3 UP

SLICE OF HOPE

As of right now, there is no guarantee that the Mets will even make the playoffs. And, given how they’ve been playing for three plus months, it wouldn’t be surprising if they did miss out. But, with that said, there is some hope to hang your hat on if this team does make it. And that’s Juan Soto. Yes, he had a couple of moments to forget in Saturday’s game. But on Friday, Soto showed just how dangerous a weapon he can be. He set a new career-high with his 42nd home run of the year, which happened to cap off a six-run inning. The three-run blast blew the game wide open and effectively won the game. Soto also finished 2-for-3 with two runs, three RBIs, two walks, and a stolen base. In other words, he did everything to help lead his team to a big win. And, should the Mets make the playoffs, that version of Soto will be key to surviving past the Wild Card round.

DEPENDABLE ARM

Nolan McLean is rapidly turning into a consistent and dependable front-of-the-rotation starter. The rookie delivered five innings of one earned run ball during his outing on Saturday, striking out six. As a result, McLean now has a 1.27 ERA on the year. He has proven that he belongs in the big leagues. He’s also proven that he could start Game 1 of a Wild Card series if needed. There isn’t a whole lot to get excited about with the Mets right now, but McLean is certainly one of them.

WORTHY EFFORT

The bullpen deserves a lot of credit for its efforts over the weekend. Outside of one or two individuals, the relief pitching was largely solid. Five relievers combined to toss 4 2/3 scoreless innings on Friday, while the bullpen didn’t allow a single run until the 11th inning on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, Clay Holmes combined with three other relievers to provide 5 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. It was just a shame the bullpen didn’t have more to show for its overall body of work against the Nationals.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

THROWING IT ALL AWAY 

The Mets entered the weekend with their destiny still in their own hands. However, just days later, that isn’t the case anymore. By dropping two out of three to a bad Nationals team, the Mets are now out of a playoff position for the first time since April 5. And, with the Reds owning the tiebreaker, things could get really tricky the rest of the way. What makes the series loss over the weekend even worse is the fact that the Mets handed the series on a plate to Washington. Bad pitching, sloppy defense, a lack of clutch hitting, and just a real lack of urgency all combined to doom the Mets. And, if they do end up missing the playoffs, they only have themselves to blame. And this weekend will go down as the death knell.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

We’re back to square one with Sean Manaea. The veteran offered some hope with a strong outing against the Padres last time out. However, in his latest start against the Nationals on Sunday, Manaea was back to looking like a lost pitcher on the mound. He gave up three runs early and was pulled after just three innings. And those runs proved too much for the Mets to overcome. It appears as though Manaea won’t be a factor if New York does make the postseason. And it also remains to be seen if he can right the ship for 2026.

CURSED

Sports curses are a funny thing – unless you are a Jets fan – and Mets fans probably won’t be laughing about curses today, either. In a close game on Sunday, the door was still open for the Mets’ offense to do something late in the game. For instance, Francisco Alvarez came to the plate in the ninth and hit what looked to be a sure-thing, game-tying home run. Instead, Nationals outfielder Jacob Young pulled off a home run robbery to end all other home run robberies. It was Young’s second jaw-dropping play after pulling off some insane wizardry in the fifth inning. Young had the game of his life defensively, and he ruined the entire weekend for the Mets. Maybe even the season, depending on how things shake out. But if the Mets do fail to make the playoffs, Young’s brilliance in the outfield will haunt them for a long, long time.

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Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the Nationals was their 11th defeat in the last 15 games, and this one carried more weight than most. It dropped them into a tie with the Reds at 80-76 for the final NL Wild Card spot. The catch? Cincinnati owns the tiebreaker, leaving New York on the outside looking in. The Diamondbacks (79-77) lurk just one game back, while the Giants (77-79), Cardinals (76-80), and Marlins (76-80) remain alive.

Manager Carlos Mendoza is maintaining confidence in his players.

“We’ve got to keep going. We’ve got six more. A lot can happen. That’s where we’re at,” he said postgame on Sunday.“You look at the talent there, we’re one hit away, making one play, making one pitch. We’re close.”

“It’s a tough hill to climb right now, but the boys in here are ready for the challenge,” Sean Manaea, who struggled on the mound Sunday, said. “We just have to put things together. If anyone can do it, it’s us.”

Brandon Nimmo acknowledged the stakes:

“It’s been happening right in front of our eyes, so yeah, I can definitely believe it. We’re down to the last week of the season, and our playoff hopes are in front of us. We’ve got to play winning baseball.”

The urgency isn’t just in the standings — it’s in the small details. Little things, such as misplayed grounders and outfielder errors, have cost the Mets too many games, and they cannot afford any more. Francisco Lindor, one of the players who struggled defensively this weekend, said it bluntly:

“We’ve put ourselves in this position, so we’ve got to find a way to get out of it. If we want to be where we want to be, those things can’t happen. Full accountability on that. I have to be better.”

Every at-bat, pitch, and defensive play is magnified in these final six games. The Mets have little margin for error if they hope to keep their postseason dreams alive.

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Cincinnati Reds (80-76)

The Reds have now won five consecutive games, capped by a huge 1-0 shutout win over Chicago on Sunday. Their surge has flipped the Wild Card race on its head, and Cincinnati now holds control over its own destiny. Before their winning streak, however, they were swept by the Oakland Athletics in a three-game set.

Remaining schedule: Home – Pirates (3); Away – Brewers (3)

New York Mets (80-76)

Remaining schedule: Away – Cubs (3), Marlins (3)

Arizona Diamondbacks (79-77), 1.0 GB

Arizona was riding its usual rollercoaster, alternating short winning streaks and losing streaks for the past month. They sit just one game behind both the Mets and Reds. However, they are currently on a little hot streak, having taken two of three in three straight series against the Twins, Giants, and Phillies.

Remaining schedule: Home – Dodgers (3); Away – Padres (3)

San Francisco Giants (77-79), 3.0 GB

San Francisco still has a path to the postseason, but must play near-perfect baseball and hope for collapses in front of them. They close with six games at Oracle Park.

Remaining schedule: Home – Cardinals (3), Rockies (3)

St. Louis Cardinals (76-80), 4.0 GB

Like the Giants, the Cardinals will need a miracle to sneak in. They finish on the road against two solid clubs in the Giants and Cubs.

Remaining schedule: Away – Giants (3), Cubs (3)

Miami Marlins (76-80), 4.0 GB

Miami has played their way back into the race, winning ten of their last eleven, including back-to-back sweeps of the Rockies and Rangers. They’ll get a chance to deal a direct blow to New York in the final weekend of the season.

Remaining schedule: Home – Mets (3); Away — Phillies (3)

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The Mets had been in control of a playoff spot every day since April 5, when they were 5-3. Not anymore. In front of a sellout crowd, New York lost its final home game of the regular season 3-2 to the last-place Washington Nationals. Meanwhile, the Reds beat the Cubs 1-0 to pull into a tie with the Mets (80-76) for the final Wild Card spot with six games to go.

Cincinnati owns the tiebreaker because it won the season series over the Mets, meaning the Mets need help this week to play in October.

Sean Manaea gave up three runs in three innings, the Mets made two errors and Nationals center fielder Jacob Young made a pair of stunning catches. He robbed Brett Baty of an extra-base hit on a grab that he came up with after it kicked off his foot on the warning track. He took what may have been a game-tying home run away from Francisco Alvarez in the ninth inning.

Pete Alonso earned a standing ovation in the eighth inning when he was pulled for a pinch-runner in what could end up being his final game at Citi Field in a Met uniform.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

A sampling of post-game comments:

Brandon Nimmo: “It’s been happening right in front of our eyes, so yeah, I can definitely believe it. We’re down to the last week of the season and our playoff hopes are in front of us. We’ve got to play winning baseball.”

Carlos Mendoza: “You look at the talent there, we’re one hit away, making one play, making one pitch. We’re close.” Also: “We’ve got to keep going. We’ve got six more. A lot can happen. That’s where we’re at.”

Clay Holmes: “I think everybody here knows where we’re at and what’s ahead of us. As a player, I think there’s still the opportunity to make something special.”

Francisco Lindor: “We’ve put ourselves in this position, so we’ve got to find a way to get out of it.”

Manaea: “It’s do or die at this point, so we’ve got to figure it out.” Also: “If anyone can do it, it’s us.”

NL Wild Card Update

The Mets are off Monday. They close the season with three games at Wrigley Field and three at Miami. The Reds are also off Monday. They have three games at home with the Pirates before visiting Milwaukee to end the season.

The Diamondbacks (79-77) are one game back, the Giants (77-79) are three behind and the Cardinals (76-80) and Marlins (76-80) are clinging to life at four games back. The Marlins have won six in a row.

Latest Mets News

The Mets set a new Citi Field single-season attendance record this year, drawing 3,182,057 to the ballpark. That’s an average of 39,285 per game, which ranks fifth in MLB behind the Dodgers, Yankees, Padres and Phillies.

The Mets reinstated Manaea to the roster from the paternity list before Sunday’s game and reliever Chris Devenski was designated for assignment.

Latest MLB News

Cal Raleigh hit his MLB-leading 58th homer as Seattle finished a sweep of the Astros to take a three-game lead in the A.L. West. The Mariners have won 14 of 15. Raleigh set the franchise home run record when he hit his 57th (passing Ken Griffey Jr.), set the mark for homers by a switch-hitter when he hit his 55th (Mickey Mantle) and broke the record for home runs by a catcher when he hit his 49th (Salvador Perez).

The Brewers clinched their third straight N.L. Central title when the Reds beat the Cubs. “Are we the most talented? No. Are we going to go up against teams far more talented with four times the payroll? Sure, but it doesn’t bother this team,” manager Pat Murphy said.

The Blue Jays (90-66) became the first American League team to clinch a playoff berth with an 8-5 victory over the Royals.

Charlie Morton, 41, who pitched to a 7.09 ERA in nine starts for the Tigers, was designated for assignment. Reliever Tanner Rainey, who Detroit signed in July after he was released by the Pirates, was added to the roster.

Latest on MMO

Johnluke Chapparo recaps the rubber-game loss to the Nationals.

David Melendi writes about the defense costing the Mets in Saturday’s loss.

Kai Chang has all the details on Triple-A Syracuse’s loss to Lehigh Valley.

On This Date in Mets History

1973: Jon Matlack throws a four-hit shutout and strikes out nine in a 2-0 victory over the Cardinals. Wayne Garrett homers. Time of game: 1:55. The Mets take a one-game lead in the division with seven games to go. Five of the National League East’s six teams are within 2.5 games of first place.

2015: Hall of Fame Yankees catcher Yogi Berra, who managed the Mets to the 1973 pennant, dies at 90.

2016: Down 8-6 in the bottom of the 11th inning, Asdrubal Cabrera hits a walk-off, three-run home run to beat the Phillies. The teams used 19 combined pitchers. Jim Henderson, the last of 10 Met pitchers to appear in the game, earns the win.

Born on This Date: Sam Coonrod (1992), Chris Schwinden (1986), Jeff Barry (1969), Mark Guthrie (1965), Vince Coleman (1961), Bob Geren (1961), Wally Backman (1959).

The post Morning Briefing: Mets No Longer in a Playoff Spot appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

With the end of the regular season fast approaching, the Mets moved another step closer to securing a postseason berth after taking the series from the San Diego Padres.

The Mets took two out of three from San Diego at Citi Field. As a result, New York is now a full two games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Cincinnati Reds for the final Wild Card spot in the National League. The Mets are also three games ahead of the Giants with nine games remaining.

Now 48-30 at Citi Field this season, the Mets very much have their destiny in their own hands as we hit the stretch run. It is now time to get the job done.

Before we reach that point, however, let’s recap everything from the Padres series in 4 Up, 2 Down…

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

4 UP

CHICKS DIG THE LONG BALL

We saw the full explosive potential of this offense throughout the Padres series. The lineup hit 10 home runs in the three games, which is the franchise’s most in a three-game series at home, per Elias. Now that’s impressive. What is also impressive is the fact that this offense now looks like a unit that can cause some damage in October. We saw how this lineup was able to blow away San Diego with brute force. Even in the loss on Wednesday, the offense was able to claw its way back into the game thanks to hitting four homers. Furthermore, the Mets have scored a total of 249 runs since August 1 – the second-most in the majors. If the pitching can sort itself out, then this offense has a chance to really set this team up for success in the postseason.

UNSTOPPABLE POWER SURGE

Pete Alonso seems determined to drag the Mets across the finish line all on his own. The slugger has now hit a home run in four consecutive games. All in all, Alonso finished with three homers, five runs scored and four RBIs against the Padres. Consequently, he now sits fourth in franchise history for the most RBIs in a single season with 121. This current captain clutch version of Alonso could give the Mets a real edge come playoff time.

BOUNCING BACK

Full kudos to Jonah Tong. Not only did the rookie bounce back from a nightmare start, but he also showed why he could be a weapon in the playoffs. The righty looked like a seasoned veteran in his outing against San Diego on Thursday, striking out eight and allowing just one unearned run over five stellar innings. Tong looked untouchable, retiring the final seven batters he faced and striking out four in a row at one point. His four-seam fastball was absolutely lethal and did the most damage. Tong showed a lot of maturity to respond the way he did to adversity. He also showed the kind of high upside that could see him play a starring role in October.

SIGNS OF HOPE

The Mets opted to piggyback Clay Holmes and Sean Manaea for Tuesday’s game. The experiment paid off. Both pitchers pitched well, with Manaea’s outing being particularly encouraging. The lefty allowed just one earned run – a solo homer – while striking out four over five solid innings. Not only did Manaea look good, but he also offered hope that maybe his best stuff could still be to come. Furthermore, maybe the strategy of piggybacking Holmes and Manaea could be one that potentially pays off in the playoffs.

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

2 DOWN

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM

The Mets officially have a David Peterson problem. The lefty struggled yet again in his latest outing on Wednesday, allowing six earned runs. That included a back-breaking grand slam that changed the entire tenor of the game. As a result of his latest struggles, Peterson now owns a 7.59 ERA over his last eight starts, allowing a total of 34 earned runs. That isn’t good. Furthermore, Peterson just hasn’t looked like the same pitcher since the All-Star break. He looked gassed and devoid of any confidence on Wednesday, which also isn’t good. If the Mets want to go deep in October, they will need Peterson to go back to the big-innings ace he was in the first half.

SETBACKS

Injuries continue to bite the Mets. Francisco Alvarez was hit on the arm yet again during Tuesday’s series opener. While it seems the catcher has escaped serious injury, you wonder how many more knocks he can take before he breaks completely. Plus, it is hard to get into a rhythm when you are constantly being hurt and removed from games. Meanwhile, Reed Garrett was placed back on the IL with a right elbow strain. Tommy John surgery is a possibility. If Garrett is indeed done for the year, then that will require another body to step up in the bullpen. As streaky as Garrett has been, this bullpen can’t really afford to lose key arms.

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