It has certainly been a tumultuous week for the New York Mets. After a storm postponed two of the team’s three biggest games of the season, the Mets traveled to Milwaukee where they have lost the first two games in the series. Despite the team’s losing skid now sitting at three games, New York can clinch a playoff spot on Sunday.
Thanks to a loss by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday to the San Diego Padres, the Mets “magic number” now sits at two. Meaning, any combination of two Mets wins over their next three games, or a loss by Arizona on Sunday and at least one Mets win over their next three games, guarantees New York a playoff berth. Because of this, with a Mets win on Sunday in Milwaukee, and a Diamondbacks loss to San Diego in Arizona, the Mets would clinch a spot in the postseason
It has been confirmed that the Mets will turn to David Peterson in their game on Sunday against the Brewers. The Brewers are going to throw right-handed starter Colin Rea. Rea has 4.17 ERA and 4.81 xERA on the season. With the Brewers locked into the No. 3 seed in the National League, and their playoff wild card series set to begin early next week, it remains to be seen how long Rea would throw, what pitchers may pitch from their bullpen, or what the lineup may look like in their 162nd and final game of the season.
Elsewhere, even if the Diamondbacks win their final game against the Padres on Sunday, a game that has a projected pitching matchup of Martín Pérez (2.61 ERA, 4.68 FIP with San Diego) versus Brandon Pfaadt (4.80 ERA. 3.70 FIP), the Mets would still be able to clinch a playoff berth with at least two wins over their next three games (one against Milwaukee remaining on Sunday and two against Atlanta on Monday).
Another interesting variable to the equation is Atlanta’s potential motivation in the team’s doubleheader on Monday (if needed, as if both the Mets and Braves clinch on Sunday, these games may not be necessary or played). The Braves, with a walk-off win courtesy of a Travis d’Arnaud on Saturday, decreased their “magic number” to one. That means, they can clinch a playoff berth on Sunday with either a victory at home against the already-clinched Kansas City Royals or a Diamondbacks loss. This would mean, if the Mets and Braves do have to play their doubleheader on Monday, the Braves’ focus would, in all likelihood, would solely be on the team’s first wild card playoff game, rather than two games that are meaningless to them against New York on Monday.
The pitching matchup for Atlanta’s game against Kansas City on Sunday has yet to be announced. Of course, if the Braves clinch a playoff spot on Sunday, in a likelihood, the Mets would avoid any of Atlanta’s prime starters (Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, or Max Fried) on Monday. As well as whoever the starter is for the Braves in their Sunday matchup (if not Sale or Schwellenbach, likely Charlie Morton).
Despite being 162 games long, Major League Baseball’s regular season never ceases to disappoint. At their most important point in the season, the New York Mets have faltered, losing three games in a row. Despite this, they still have a prime shot at returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2022 and the second time in the last eight seasons.
