October baseball is happening in Queens. It may not be exactly what we wanted as Mets fans, but here we are, and hey, Ya Gotta Believe, right?!
In honor of the upcoming Wild Card series, here’s how we think the Mets will fare.
The Mets should win this series, but the Padres should not be underestimated. Their starters match well with most teams in the NL, but fall short of the Mets in a direct comparison. They can hit, but tend to be up and down and to some they have underachieved.
The Mets, with their 101-win season, have a lot to be proud of. Certainly, they did not want this wild-card spot, but I imagine most Mets fan last winter would have been happy with a playoff team come fall. The Mets also have the advantage in the dugout at manager. Though Buck has made some puzzling decisions in the last few weeks, he has steered the Mets with a steady hand. This wild card series could produce some surprises and that is why I will not predict a sweep for either team. But when you look hard at the combatants, the Mets are the better team and will prevail in three.
John Sheridan
Honestly, everything tells me the Padres win. This isn’t an overly pessimistic response to the end of the season. Rather, it’s just that this Mets team has fits against the Padres in recent years, and they have never beaten Yu Darvish. However, my heart says the Mets win. They have deGrom and Scherzer with Díaz at the end of the game. After that Braves series, we have seen an angry and determined Mets team. I’m going with my heart here. Mets in two.
Michael Garaffa
The Mets obviously have what it takes to take the Wild Card series in 2, but it hinges solely on the starting pitching. If Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer go out there and be themselves, then the Mets will likely sweep the series.
However, it’s not going to be easy regardless of how they pitch, because the Padres have great starters themselves and a great offense. I fully anticipate Citi Field to be sold out and filled with rowdy, cheering Mets fans who all want the team to win. Because of this, it should give the Mets a hefty advantage. I’m going with the Mets in 3.
Michael Mayer
It’s certainly a tough matchup for the Mets, but ultimately I feel like they’re the superior team with the edge in starting pitching and closer that can play up even more in a three-game series. With Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer going in the first two I believe the Mets will sweep the Padres in two close low-scoring games.
Anthony Caraturo
In a short series, the Mets’ starting pitching and closer give them the advantage. Even though Juan Soto has had a down year, he’s still the best hitter featured in this series. Pitchers will need to be careful with him, along with the rest of their lineup. Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, and Chris Bassitt will get another chance in a three-game series to show why they are the best trio in baseball, and I honestly believe they will deliver in front of a packed Citi Field. Mets in three.
Patrick Glynn
METS IN TWO. #WeWantLA
Andrew Steele-Davis
This is a series full of star power and the Padres have some big hitters in Juan Soto and Manny Machado that can cause some major damage. After all, the Padres went all out to acquire a superstar like Soto in order to win big in October, and the stage is set for the slugger to make a real difference for San Diego.
However, a three-game series should be set up for the Mets to thrive given that they can roll out a formidable three-headed pitching monster featuring Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt. Those three should be able to get the job done for the Mets, and then Edwin Diaz is one of the best shutdown arms in the game so that’s another major advantage. The biggest question mark will be whether or not the offense can come up with big hits in timely moments, but they have enough explosive bats along with elite pitching to be able to beat the Padres in three and setup a showdown against the Dodgers.
Matt Mancuso
The Mets have a better team, on-paper. However, anything can happen in the postseason, especially in a three-game showdown where randomization can dictate the final result. Losing Starling Marte serves as a double whammy; it removed some of the zap from the club’s starting nine and took away one of the club’s leading contributors against left-handed starting pitching.
With the Padres’ Blake Snell looking likely to receive a start, Mitch Keller‘s errant fastball on September 16 looms even larger. That being said, the Mets’ duo of aces should serve as a support to any offensive woes. Betting against two of the decade’s biggest pitchers is never a good move. Mets in 3.
Michelle Ioannou
Are you really a Mets fans if you said Padres here?!
