There was pitching. There was offense. Over managing. And back-and-forth punches that haven’t been seen since the Rumble in the Jungle between Muhamad Ali and George Foreman.

Photo by Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

For the Mets, their punches came in the eighth and ninth. After being shut out by Spencer Schwellenbach through seven innings, Tyrone Taylor led off with a double, knocked Schwellenbach out of the game, and the bottom of the order started a six-run rally.

Francisco Alvarez followed Taylor with a double to drive in the Mets’ first run of the game. Then two consecutive singles from Starling Marte and Francisco Lindor followed to bring the Mets to within a run.

Four consecutive hits and Joe Jiménez out of the game, the Mets then jumped Braves closer Raisel Iglesias. Jose Iglesias singled to tie the game, Mark Vientos drove in a run with a sac fly, and then Brandon Nimmo put the cherry on top with a two-run blast.

It was emphatic. Shocking even due to the Mets being lifeless for seven innings prior. But those six runs weren’t enough, and the Braves punched back in the bottom half.

Eli White, hitting as a defensive replacement, reached base via a hit-by-pitch. Then, after d’Arnaud singled off Phil Maton, Mendoza went to his own closer Edwin Díaz.

The closer’s first task was Jarred Kelenic, the man the closer was traded for. Pinch-hitting for Orlando Arcia, he smacked one over the bag, prompting Alonso to dive and make a stellar play. However, Díaz didn’t cover the bag and the Braves scored a run, extending the inning.

Michael Harris II followed with a walk, and then Ozzie Albies delivered the heartfelt blow. A bases-clearing double off the wall as a righty that scored three runs and gave the Braves a 7-6 lead.

A whole comeback, gone in a blink of an eye. The Mets, whose bats had woken up and handed the ball to their closer, fell behind once again.

The team could have rolled over, and taken their chances against the Braves B-team in Game 2. But the Mets, who have come far from their 0-5 start and shortcomings, had one more rally in them. Marte singled, Lindor came up, and the rest is history.

The shortstop homered to right field, putting the Mets back on top 8-7, and gave the squad a lead they held on to in the ninth.

Díaz then got the chance to redeem himself, retiring former Met d’Arnaud to solidify a 2024 postseason spot.

It’s quite remarkable what the Mets were able to accomplish Monday. They started 0-5, fell to 22-33, and were among the Marlins and Rockies in the standings in May.

But an astonishing run, capped by a 67-39 finish, puts them in a wild-card game against either the Brewers or Padres Tuesday.

One hero that won’t be talked about in this win is Tylor Megill. He struck out eight Braves across 5 2/3 innings and only had two blemishes the whole day. Both homers to Albies and Ramón Laureano that gave the Braves a 3-0 lead up until the eighth. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start that gave the Mets a chance.

On the other side, Schwellenbach again dominated the Mets. The righty, who has dominated the Mets in his young major league career, breezed through the Mets lineup for seven-plus innings and almost handed the Mets a dreadful loss.

It was a day filled with first-pitch ground outs, singles, and stranded runners. And entering the eighth, there was no reason to believe the offense would click against a pitcher that had only allowed one run in 20 innings facing them.

Player of the Game

Francisco Lindor put the Mets on his back Monday. He drove in the second run during the Mets rally in the eighth, then clubbed the go-ahead homer in the ninth to put the Mets on top.

On Deck

The Mets will take their chances against Chris Sale in Game 2 against the Braves. A starter hasn’t been announced for the Mets yet, but Luis Severino will get a day off. The game will be televised on SNY and ESPN, and broadcasted on WCBS 880.

The post Lindor’s Ninth Inning Homer Puts Mets into Postseason appeared first on Metsmerized.

After a chaotic turn of events on Sunday, the Mets and Braves will square off in a doubleheader at Truist Park this afternoon starting at 1:10 p.m. Tylor Megill (4-5, 3.98 ERA) will face off against rookie right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach (8-7, 3.47 ERA). The Braves are holding Cy Young favorite Chris Sale back for the second game of the doubleheader or the first game of the Wild Card Series, as the Mets are doing with Luis Severino. The Mets have yet to crack Schwellenbach, scoring just one run in 14 innings against him. Meanwhile, Megill has posted a 1.78 ERA since being recalled from Triple-A on August 30. Both games will be televised on SNY and ESPN2.

With a split today, both teams would clinch a postseason berth – Atlanta would head to San Diego to take on the Padres, while the Mets would head back to Milwaukee to face the Brewers. If either team sweeps the doubleheader, the Diamondbacks would claim the final postseason spot, while the loser would be eliminated.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

David Peterson allowed just one hit and struck out eight in seven shutout innings, and Francisco Lindor homered and stole two bases as the Mets finally solved the Brewers, winning 5-0. Lindor is now just one steal shy of his second straight 30-30 season. J.D. Martinez busted out of an 0-for-36 slump with a pair of hits, and Jose Iglesias collected two knocks to extend his hitting streak to 20 games. Peterson finishes the regular season with a 10-3 record and a 2.90 ERA across 121 innings.

Pete Alonso, Mark Vientos, and Sean Manaea are nominees for this year’s All-MLB Teams. Fans can cast their votes on MLB.com once every 24 hours until October 11.

Latest MLB News

Ozzie Virgil Sr., the first Dominican-born major leaguer, passed away Sunday at the age of 92. Virgil attended DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx and served in the United States Marine Corps before he debuted for the New York Giants in 1956. After his nine-year playing career, Virgil spent almost two decades as a major league coach, including for the 1984 NL Champion Padres.

Katie Woo of The Athletic reports that the Cardinals are expected to part ways with seven-time All-Star Paul Goldschmidt, making him a free agent. Goldschmidt won the NL MVP award in 2022 but saw his numbers decline each of the last two years, finishing 2024 with his first below-average season by OPS+.

Rocco Baldelli will return as the manager of the Twins despite their late-season collapse. Baldelli won AL Manager of the Year in 2019 and has won three AL Central titles in his six years as Minnesota’s skipper, but the team failed to make the postseason after going 12-27 from August 18 to the end of the season.

The Marlins announced that they agreed to mutually part ways with manager Skip Schumaker. In his first season at the helm, Schumaker led Miami to the playoffs and won NL Manager of the Year, but he requested his option for the 2025 season be voided after the departure of Kim Ng.

Pirates utilityman Isiah Kiner-Falefa didn’t play on Sunday despite being four plate appearances shy of triggering a $250,000 bonus. Kiner-Falefa said he was given the option to play, but he decided to give the opportunity to the younger players on the roster.

Longtime Red Sox broadcaster Joe Castiglione called his last game on Sunday afternoon, capping a 42-year career. Several Red Sox legends were on hand at Fenway Park to pay tribute to the Hall of Famer during a pregame ceremony.

After losing a record-breaking 121 games this season, Jerry Reinsdorf wrote a letter to White Sox fans, calling this year’s performance a failure and claiming responsibility for it. Reinsdorf mentioned that general manager Chris Getz has already begun searching for candidates to be the team’s manager in 2025.

Major League Baseball announced start times for the Wild Card round, with the NL series set to begin at 5:32 PM in Milwaukee and 8:38 in San Diego. Game 2 in Milwaukee will begin at 7:38, and Game 3 will begin at 5:32 if necessary. The Tigers and Astros will start all three of their games at 2:32, while the Orioles and Royals will play at 4:08 for games 1 and 3, and Game 2 will start at 4:38. All three games in San Diego will begin at 8:38.

Latest on MMO

Johnluke Chaparro recaps the Mets’ win in their series finale against the Brewers.

Christian De Block looks at what went wrong for the Mets’ offense during the first three games of the road trip.

On This Date in Mets History

1988: David Cone scatters nine hits, allowing two runs in a complete game to earn his 20th victory of the season as the Mets down the Cardinals, 4-2.

2006: Endy Chávez, Julio Franco, Shawn Green, Ramón Castro, and David Wright all go deep as the Mets rout the Nationals, 13-0, in the penultimate game of the season. Franco, Green, and Wright’s homers are all three-run shots.

2018: On the last day of the season, Noah Syndergaard outduels Sandy Alcantara by tossing a complete-game shutout to give the Mets 1-0 victory, Syndergaard allows five hits and strikes out six without walking a batter. Jose Reyes plays in the final game of his career, leaving the game in the top of the second inning.

Born On This Date: Dave Magadan (1962), Yorkis Pérez (1967), José Lima (1972).

The post Morning Briefing: For Mets and Braves, It’s Win and In appeared first on Metsmerized.

According to Andy Martino of SNY, the Mets will be started Tylor Megill in game one of Monday’s doubleheader in Atlanta.

Megill owns a 3.98 ERA on the season, but has been lights out lately. Over his last three starts, he has only allowed one run across 16 innings to go along with 19 strikeouts. He has one start against Atlanta this year where he allowed four runs and five hits over six innings.

One can assume, if the Mets and Megill lose game one of the doubleheader, Luis Severino would start game two.

Tylor Megill. Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Original Post – 

With a win on Sunday, the New York Mets decreased their magic number to one. Since the Arizona Diamondbacks won on Sunday, the Mets will need to win one of two games in Atlanta on Monday.

With the two rain outs of games two and three of the series previously set to be played earlier in the week, the Mets and Braves need to play a doubleheader on Monday, one day after the rest of the major league teams finished their regular season schedule.

Since the Braves also still need to clinch a playoff spot of their own, thanks to a loss on Sunday to Kansas City, Atlanta is choosing to pitch Spencer Schwellenbach in game one on Monday according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Chris Sale is confirmed as their game two starter, only if the Mets defeat Atlanta in game one. So, the only way the Mets will see the presumed National League Cy Young winner is if New York clinches a playoff berth in game one of the doubleheader.

The rookie right-handed starter, Schwellenbach, owns a 3.47 ERA on the season. His last start was game one of the series against the Mets on Tuesday before games two and three were postponed. In that game, Schwellenbach threw seven superb inning, allowing only three hits and one run while striking out four. In his two starts against the Mets this season, he has combined for 14 innings, 15 strikeouts, five hits and only one run.

On the season, Schwellenbach owns a 3.42 xERA and 3.39 xFIP. According to Baseball Savant, he ranks in the league’s 70th percentile or better in average exit velocity again, hard hit rate, and strikeouts. He ranks above the 90th percentile in walk rate, chase rate, and barrel rate. He has been a revelation for the Braves this year.

The task for the Mets on Monday is simply; win at least one of two games. If New York loses game one, the Braves will have no incentive to win game two. The opportunity is there for New York to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2022 and the second time over their last eight seasons.

The post Mets To Start Megill In Game One; Braves Go With Schwellenbach appeared first on Metsmerized.

It’s the hope that kills you. Your New York Metropolitans were defeated by the Atlanta Braves 5-1 Tuesday. Mets starter Luis Severino and some bad defense gave up four runs in just four innings of work. Relievers after Sevy pitched well, conceding just one over the final four innings.

On the other hand, Braves starter Spencer Schwellenbach was pitch-perfect outside of a seventh-inning consolation home run allowed to Mark Vientos. Overall, the Braves righty tossed seven innings, allowing just the one run and a couple of scattered hits. Schwellenbach continues his dominance over New York, with his second straight gem against the Mets.

In the latest MMO roundtable, our writers gave their predictions for the Braves-Mets series. Just two out of nine who offered their opinion predicted Atlanta to win the series. With the Mets loss Tuesday, a series win is becoming increasingly unlikely. New York is now just one game up on the Braves in the Wild Card standings.

However, not all is lost. Francisco Lindor was ready in the on-deck circle if Vientos hadn’t hit into the final out of the ninth inning. Carlos Mendoza offered a potential clue on Lindor’s availability for Wednesday’s game. “He could be in play [Sunday] night,” said Mendoza.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Wild Card Update

Jake Cronenworth homered and drove in three runs as the Padres downed the Dodgers, 4-2, clinching a playoff berth. The game ended with Manny Machado starting an around-the-horn triple play. San Diego now leads the Mets by four games for the top NL Wild Card spot and trails the Dodgers by just two games in the NL West.

Patrick Bailey, Michael Conforto, Brett Wisely, Heliot Ramos, and Tyler Fitzgerald all went deep as the Giants clobbered the Diamondbacks, 11-0. The Mets remain a half-game in front of Arizona for the second Wild Card spot.

Latest Mets News

David Peterson (9-3, 3.08 ERA), will face off against Cy Young front-runner Chris Sale (18-3, 2.38 ERA). Both are having very successful seasons, but Sale’s been the clear NL Comeback Player of the Year and possible Cy Young Award winner. Just Lindor, J.D. Martinez, and Jose Iglesias have exceeded five at-bats against the lefty in their careers, however, all have performed well, especially Lindor, who holds a .412 average in 34 at-bats against Sale.

Team owner Steve Cohen expressed a desire to build a Citi Field park and casino, in addition to restaurants and shopping areas. Cohen’s plans include using 50 acres of land of the current Citi Field parking lot to transform into the project. AMNY’s Ben Brachfeld added that the main part would be “…a casino run by Hard Rock Entertainment, requiring a license Cohen is vying for in a furious bidding war.”

Francisco Lindor’s season is still in jeopardy. According to Anthony DiComo, Lindor received a bone scan that ensured no structural damage. However, there’s no real guarantee – he’s still wearing a heavy heat wrap and feeling some discomfort. His availability is mostly unknown, but he was available Tuesday to pinch-hit.

Carlos Mendoza says that there’s still no word regarding Wednesday’s Mets-Braves game. The weather forecast says otherwise, indicating stormy rains entering Atlanta for the full day tomorrow.

Latest MLB News

The Pirates designated center fielder Michael A. Taylor and first baseman Rowdy Tellez for assignment. Both enter free agency after 2024, but it’s unclear what interest they’ll garner. Taylor, a glove-first outfielder, has remained elite defensively (11 OAA, 12 DRS), but his offensive production has lagged, with a brutal 51 OPS+. Tellez, a power hitter who slugged 35 homers as recently as two years ago, has just 13 homers this year with a .691 OPS. Perhaps coincidentally, perhaps not, this DFA occurs four plate appearances before Tellez was set to collect a $200,000 bonus for hitting 425 plate appearances.

As reported by Roch Kubatko of FanSided, the Orioles reinstated Ryan Mountcastle, optioned Eloy Jiménez, and officially released Craig Kimbrel. Mountcastle, sidelined since Aug. 22, posted a .265/.305/.425 slash line when healthy. Meanwhile, Kimbrel’s 5.33 ERA and six blown saves mark his worst season since his outlandish 2019, and Jiménez is hitting .042 in 24 September at-bats.

2023 fourth-round draft pick Kristian Campbell, 22, has blown everybody away. He started the season as an afterthought, even for Red Sox fans. He ends it as Baseball America’s minor league player of the year. Signed for just $493k out of Georgia Tech, the 22-year-old infielder’s taken the league by storm. Baseball America ranks him inside the top 25 in the game. He’s hit his way through three minor league levels. He could debut in 2025.

The Dodgers are promoting Venezuelan flamethrower Edgardo Henriquez, per Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic. This season, Henriquez has pitched at every level, dominating in all of them. Even though he started the season in Single-A, the Dodgers have been monitoring him all year, likely because of his blazing fastball that has hit 104 mph on the radar gun.

Austin Riley (.256/.322/.461 in 469 PA) won’t return in 2024. A recent CT scan of his hand will officially end Riley’s season. For the Braves, it’s just the latest blow for their injury-ridden squad, who have lost Ronald Acuña Jr., Spencer Strider, and more for extended periods of time.

Latest on MMO

Gianna Arantes reviewed Tuesday’s 5-1 loss.

Allison Waxman looked at potential playoff outcomes.

Michelle Ioannou posted a new MMO Roundtable, with various MetsMerized writers guessing the outcome of the Mets-Braves series.

Matt Lazzaro handed out Player of the Week awards, and Tyler Antonelle composed the weekly Mets Minors report.

On This Date in Mets History

2003: Legendary Mets radio broadcaster Bob Murphy called his final ballgame, after more than 40 years in the broadcasting business. “The sun is shining, the sky is blue, it’s a beautiful day for baseball.” 

2009: David Wright set a team record when he started his 836th game at third for the ballclub.

2022: Pete Alonso became the Mets single-season RBI leader as he drove in his 125th run of the year. The Polar Bear finished that season with 131 RBIs on the year.

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

The post Morning Briefing: Lindor Ready to Pinch Hit appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets and Braves begin their crucial three-game series at Truist Park this evening. Luis Severino (11-6, 3.79 ERA) will take the hill for the Mets against rookie right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach (7-7, 3.61 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:20 p.m.

The Mets enter the series now in sole possession of the second Wild Card spot after the Diamondbacks lost to the Giants 6-3 on Monday. The Mets lead Arizona by a half-game, and the Braves by two games.

The Mets and Braves are tied 5-5 in the season series. Back in April, the Mets took two of three games from them in Atlanta. There also appears to be a hurricane headed toward Georgia this week, which could impact the series.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

Kiley McDaniel of ESPN wrote about how the Mets have set themselves up for a run of success in 2025 and beyond. McDaniel noted that the Mets have almost 50% of their payroll coming off the books this offseason.

Coming off two clutch hits this weekend, Jay Horwitz has an interview scheduled with Brandon Nimmo for today. Horwitz has known Nimmo since the Mets drafted him as an 18-year-old despite having never played high school baseball.

Brandon Sproat was named the Mets’ Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America. Sproat skyrocketed from High-A Brooklyn to Triple-A Syracuse this season. Baseball America also named Mets prospect Jonah Tong to its 2024 Minor League All-Star Second Team.

This past weekend’s series between the Mets and Phillies was the highest-attended four-game series in Citi Field history, drawing nearly 165,000 fans. The games on Saturday and Sunday were both sellouts.

Latest MLB News

The Tigers are calling up prized pitching prospect Jackson Jobe to join their major league bullpen as they continue their playoff push. Jobe has a 2.36 ERA with 96 strikeouts in 91 2/3 innings across three levels this season.

With Mike Trout struggling to stay healthy and seeing his productivity decline, Sam Blum and Andy McCullough of The Athletic spoke to Trout and others in the Angels’ organization about his future. Trout said he was given the option to be the team’s designated hitter when he initially suffered a torn meniscus in April but opted for surgery. The three-time MVP said he hasn’t really felt right at the plate the last few years, and hitting coach Johnny Washington said he hopes he can help Trout get back to his old form.

Ahead of the team’s final series in Oakland, A’s owner John Fisher wrote a letter to fans, imploring them to stick with the team as they get ready to move to Sacramento, then potentially Las Vegas. Fisher wrote that he began exploring the move to Vegas in 2021 because of a binding agreement with MLB to find the team a new home.

Longtime Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon announced on social media that he will retire at the end of the season. Blackmon played all 14 seasons of his big league career in Colorado, making four All-Star games, winning two Silver Sluggers, and capturing the NL batting title in 2017.

Latest on MMO

Johnluke Chaparro analyzes Edwin Díaz‘s six-out save against the Phillies on Sunday.

David Melendi looks at the highs and lows from the Phillies series in the latest 3 Up, 3 Down.

Allison Waxman breaks down the potential playoff outcomes based on the upcoming Mets-Braves series.

David Melendi previews the Mets’ series in Atlanta.

On This Date in Mets History

1969: Gary Gentry tosses a complete-game four-hit shutout, and Donn Clendenon goes deep twice as the Mets clinch their first NL East title with a 6-0 victory over the Cardinals. Clendenon tags Steve Carlton for a three-run homer in the first inning then takes Dave Giusti deep in the fifth. Ed Charles also goes yard against Carlton, who gets knocked out in the first inning.

1991: The Mets drop their contest to the Pirates, 10-8, but Howard Johnson clubs his 37th homer of the season, setting a new record for NL switch-hitters. Johnson had previously set the mark in 1987.

2015: The Mets hit a trio of three-run homers – two by Lucas Duda and one by Curtis Granderson – as they rout the Reds, 12-5. Noah Syndergaard strikes out 11 batters while allowing two runs over 7 2/3 innings. The win brings the Mets’ magic number to clinch the NL East down to 1.

Born On This Date: Hubie Brooks (1956), Bernard Gilkey (1966), Hunter Strickland (1988), Drew Smith (1993).

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Own Second Wild Card Spot appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets ended Saturday with a two-game lead on the Atlanta Braves with seven games left, three of them being in Atlanta starting on Tuesday. The Mets’ magic number sits at six, which can be reduced by one if the Mets clinch the season series over the Braves, which is currently tied. This is similar to how the Phillies entered play on Friday night with a magic number of four, but their win over the Mets clinched the season series tiebreaker. The Mets loss, Phillies win, and Phillies season series win all added together took three off the magic number.

Above the Mets sits the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have handled the Milwaukee Brewers relatively easily this week and hold a one-game lead on New York. The Mets hold this tiebreaker, as they do with the San Diego Padres, who are three games up on New York after playing a series with the historically awful Chicago White Sox.

Following Atlanta, the Mets head to Milwaukee, where the Brewers appear to be slotted into the third seed in the National League playoff picture, which will reportedly lead to Brewers starting pitchers being inning-capped at just five for the rest of the season.

With a win tomorrow, Mendoza’s squad can drop their clinching number to just five. The Mets have a wild week ahead of them, which could include clinching a playoff spot for the second time in the last eight years. What’s does the next week look like?

Tylor Megill. Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Sunday

The Mets will take on the Phillies in their final regular season home game of 2024 on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. Former Met Zack Wheeler will look to lead the Phillies to a division title, which they can clinch with a win on Sunday. The Phillies have not won a National League East crown since the 2011 season.

To counter Wheeler, the Mets will send out Tylor Megill, who has been magnificent in his last two starts. Since his return to Syracuse (Triple-A) was rerouted following Paul Blackburn’s injury, Megill has thrown 12 innings with just three hits allowed, no earned runs, and 13 strikeouts.

The Mets will very likely be without Francisco Lindor again, who manager Carlos Mendoza said is likely out until Tuesday’s game in Atlanta.

Elsewhere, the Atlanta Braves finish their series with Miami at 1:40 pm ET, as Grant Holmes (3.84 ERA) takes the mound for Atlanta versus Miami’s Darren McCaughan (7.64 ERA). Meanwhile, Jordan Montgomery (6.23 ERA) finish their series with Milwaukee (Frankie Montas, 3.92 ERA) at 2:10 pm ET.

Monday

The Mets are off on Monday. The only notable game for the Mets is the Diamondbacks hosting the San Francisco Giants. The probable pitching matchup in that 9:40 pm ET showdown is Hayden Birdsong (4.74 ERA) for San Francisco and Eduardo Rodriguez (5.09 ERA) for Arizona. Remember, as it stands the Mets are one game back of Arizona, but do own the tiebreaker.

If the Mets can fend off the Phillies and Wheeler on Sunday night, the Phillies will take their magic number of one and head back to Citizens Bank Park, where they’ll look to win the National League East banner in front of a home crowd taking on the Washington Nationals.

Luis Severino. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Tuesday

The Mets open their series with Atlanta in Truist Park on Tuesday, which is the Mets’ current target date for the return of Francisco Lindor. The younger brother of injured Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr., Luisangel Acuña, has become one of baseball’s best stories while holding down Lindor’s spot. The Mets bats will look to keep hot against the Braves after scoring 28 runs in their last four games combined.

The Mets are anticipating the trio of Luis Severino, David Peterson, and Sean Manaea starting in Atlanta, and likely in that order. This would be far and away the biggest start of Severino’s Mets career, but the veteran righty is no stranger to big games. Severino has 43 2/3 playoff innings under his belt and is the Mets’ most playoff-experienced starter in this series.

On the other side, the Mets should expect to see Chris Sale as his regular rest would line him up for the opening game of the three-game set. This would also line him up for game 162, which could be huge for the Braves. Granted, Atlanta has yet to make a formal announcement, however, all signs point to Sale starting the first game of this series, which would give the Mets back-to-back games against the likely Cy Young winner and runner-up.

It will be pivotal for the Mets to win on Tuesday for a number of reasons. In a fairly possible scenario where they go into Atlanta only one game up in the standings, this creates some breathing room for themselves and gives the Mets a win over the Braves’ best starter. If they go into Atlanta just a game up and can win on Tuesday, their prospects of popping champagne in Georgia grow exponentially.

Note, the Diamondbacks are once again slated to face off against the Giants at 9:40 pm ET. The probable pitching matchup in that one is Logan Webb (3.58 ERA) versus Brandon Pfaadt (4.66 ERA).

David Peterson. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Wednesday

The Mets will likely go with David Peterson on Wednesday. Peterson will be making easily the biggest start of his major league career, but he has also never been a front-line starter with this level of success before this year. Peterson’s only outing against the Braves this season came on July 28, an outing in which he allowed four runs over five innings. Peterson has had some big moments against Atlanta, including a pair of outings in 2022 in which he allowed just two runs over a combined 10 2/3 innings. The left-handed starter was tagged for four earned runs in less than four innings by the Phillies on Friday night.

Peterson will likely be opposed by Braves breakout rookie Spencer Schwellenbach; this if Atlanta indeed opts for Sale over the rookie in game one of the series. Schwellenbach owns a 3.61 ERA on the season and hasn’t allowed more than three runs in a game since July 21 (11 starts ago).

Wednesday becomes of even more significance to the Mets because there is a scenario where the Mets clinch a playoff berth. If the Mets win and the Braves lose on Sunday, their magic number drops to four. A win on Tuesday and Wednesday would give the Mets two additional games over the Braves in the standings, which would put them five up with five to go, and the Mets would hold the tiebreaker. This would mathematically eliminate the Braves from playoff contention, meaning the 2024 Mets would be October-bound.

While this is not the likely scenario, considering the Mets face Wheeler Sunday night while the Marlins appear to be running a bullpen game in their finale against the Braves, it would be the best one for the Mets.

In a nightmare scenario, where the Mets lose a game against the Braves on Sunday and lose game one of the series in Atlanta, this could be the game where the Braves can push ahead of the Mets in the standings. Whichever team wins two games of the series clinches the tiebreaker, which very well could decide which team goes to October and which one goes golfing.

Sean Manaea. Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

Thursday

Thursday will be Sean Manaea’s day, who is coming off a dazzling start in his Citi Field finale on Saturday, going seven strong innings with only two major blemishes, solo homers to Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos. Manaea will face the final member of the trio of Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Max Fried or Charlie Morton, and might make the biggest start of the year for the Mets.

Considering the history of these two teams, their recent bouts in playoff pushes, recent Met heartbreak in Atlanta, and plenty of other factors, it is fair to assume that this game will be the most important of the three. It feels unlikely that either team would take the first two from the other, so the tiebreaker might be hanging in the balance come Thursday. Manaea has been the Mets’ ace in 2024 and will need to give one more ace-like performance to get the Mets across the finish line.

In terms of clinching, there is a lot at play here. Through a number of different ways, the Mets could clinch a playoff spot on Thursday. So long as the Mets end play on Thursday at least three games up and with the tiebreaker over Atlanta in hand, they are into October.

This could happen in a number of different ways, so going through scenarios is a tad useless. In the end, the Mets must win two of three from Atlanta to secure the season series and likely a playoff spot. Their best starter this year is set to go in the final game and will be opposed by a formidable foe on the other side.  Thursday, to most people, does not feel that far away. But to a Mets fan, getting to Thursday might take years off life, and the unknown of what Thursday could look like is crippling.

The Rest

After the Mets and Braves series, whatever the outlook may be for both teams, each team will have three games remaining. The Mets will travel out to Milwaukee, who, as mentioned above, seem to be poised for that third seed in the National League, and have their pitchers on limits.

Meanwhile, the Braves will welcome in Kansas City and face a Royals team who will likely still be in the thick of the American League wild card race. As of Sunday morning, the Royals occupy the second wild card spot, but are only one game from the Detroit Tigers who are the first team on the outside looking in. In all likelihood, these three games will be huge for Kansas City; a great sign for the Mets.

If the Diamondbacks still factor into the equation by Friday, they’ll closing their season versus the current first wild card team the San Diego Padres.

The post Outlook Of The National League Wild Card Race appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets scored seven runs in one inning Friday night on their way to beating the Braves 8-4. At one point this season the Mets trailed the Braves by 10 games. Now the Mets find themselves half a game above the Braves. With the win on Friday, the Mets have guaranteed that they will at least split the series against the Braves and now they have an opportunity to create some distance.

Photo by Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Mets Lineup

1. Francisco Lindor – SS
2. Brandon Nimmo – CF
3. J.D. Martinez – DH
4. Pete Alonso – 1B
5. Jeff McNeil – LF
6. Mark Vientos – 3B
7. Jose Iglesias – 2B
8. DJ Stewart – RF
9. Luis Torrens – C

Tylor Megill returns to the Mets rotation this afternoon to fill in for injured pitcher Christian Scott. With the injury to Kodai Senga on Friday night, Megill will probably be sticking around for at least a few starts. Over 39 innings in the majors this season, Megill has a 5.08 ERA, 3.32 FIP, 1.436 WHIP and a 77 ERA+. In the minors this season he has made seven starts, totaling 27 1/3 innings with a 2.30 ERA. The Braves have the following career numbers against him:

• Orlando Arcia 1-7, 2B, BB, K
• Travis d’Arnaud 2-9, 2B, K
• Adam Duvall 1-2
• Whit Merrifield 0-3
• Sean Murphy 2-2, BB
• Matt Olson 2-11, 2 BB, 2 K
• Marcell Ozuna 5-9, 2B, HR, 2 K
• Austin Riley 5-21, 2B, HR, 8 K
• Eddie Rosario 6-12, 2 2B, HR, 2 BB, 2 K
• Luke Williams 0-2, K

Opposing Lineup

1. Jarred Kelenic – CF
2. Austin Riley – 3B
3. Marcell Ozuna – DH
4. Matt Olson – 1B
5. Adam Duvall – RF
6. Eddie Rosario – LF
7. Sean Murphy – C
8. Nacho Alvarez Jr. – 2B
9. Orlando Arcia – SS

The Mets bats will get a look at Atlanta rookie Spencer Schwellenbach this afternoon. Over his first nine major league starts he has pitched 50 2/3 innings with a 4.62 ERA, 3.83 FIP, 1.164 WHIP, and a 90 ERA+. He’s coming off of a rough start against the Cardinals where he allowed four runs from seven hits (three home runs) over six innings. Before that, he allowed one run in back-to-back starts against the Phillies and the Padres. This will be his first major league start against the Mets.

Game Notes

• Prior to the game, the Mets placed Kodai Senga on the 15-day injured list with a calf strain. The news comes with a positive angle as it could have been a season-ending achilles tear.
• Ryne Stanek has arrived in Queens and is on the 40-man roster. Tylor Megill was also recalled from Syracuse, with Eric Orze being optioned to Triple-A.
• With their win on Friday, the Mets took sole possession of the first National League wild card and erased a 10.5-game deficit to the Braves. The Mets also moved into second place in the NL East and are nine games behind the Phillies for first.

Three Things To Watch For

1. J.D. Martinez is heating up! J.D. had the big bat in Friday night’s game, going 3-for-4 and hitting a grand slam. It was his third multi-hit game in his last five, a stretch where he has gone 7-for-21 slashing .333/.364/.524. So far Martinez has a multi-hit day, followed by a day with no hits. Can he break that pattern today?
2. Mark Vientos. Vientos has been in a pretty solid groove over the last five games going 6-for-19 with a double and two homers (.316/.333/.684). He has five RBIs over this stretch and is part of the reason why the team’s batting lineup feels so deep right now. His strikeouts have been high though, eight over his last five games and 12 in his last nine played.
3. Mets bullpen. The Mets bullpen has to put in a bit of extra work over the last couple of games (literally on Thursday). Most likely José Buttó, Jake Diekman, and Adam Ottavino are out for today’s game. Alex Young and Danny Young put a lot of work in on Wednesday but should be good for today’s game. Questions for today’s game – Who will come in for Megill if he has an early exit? Stanek, just acquired in a trade Friday hasn’t pitched since Monday, will he be ready to go today?

Let’s go Mets!

The post Game Chat: Braves vs Mets, 4:10 PM appeared first on Metsmerized.

The New York Mets completed the season sweep of the Subway Series for the first time since 2013 on Wednesday night.

After taking the first two games in Queens in June against their Bronx rivals, the Mets came into Yankee Stadium on Tuesday with all of the odds against them. Despite not getting to New York until 5 a.m., the Mets squeaked out an improbable win behind a huge ninth inning from Jake Diekman on Tuesday night. However, on Wednesday night, the Mets put the final nail in the Yankees’ coffin and left nothing for chance.

With Gerrit Cole on the mound at Yankee Stadium, the Mets’ bats were going to have to come to play in order to complete the season sweep of the Subway Series. But, the Mets hitters were more than up to the task. Tyrone Taylor started the home run party in the third inning with a solo shot, and the barrage carried on from there. Pete Alonso put the Mets ahead with a two-run bomb, Francisco Lindor followed with two long balls of his own, and Mark Vientos put the finishing touch on the Mets’ 12-run night with a solo shot in the eighth. The Mets held the Yankees to just three runs in a 12-3 slaughtering of the Bronx “Bombers.”

The Mets will look to carry their hot bats back over to Queens as they host the Braves in a pivotal four-game set, which will have great implications on the Wild Card picture. Luis Severino (7-3, 3.58 ERA) will battle Chris Sale (13-3, 2.70 ERA) in Game 1 of the series on Thursday night at 7:10 p.m.

Photo by Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told the media that Christian Scott will not require elbow surgery, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. He’s going to go the rest-and-rehab route and will be shut down for the next two weeks. For more information, click here.

José Iglesias jumped on the mic to talk to the ESPN booth about his hit song “OMG” during the Mets’ win against the Yankees on Wednesday night. 

José Iglesias gets on the mic and talks about the story behind his hit song "OMG" 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/Y7LltxqiV5

— ESPN (@espn) July 24, 2024

The Mets signed their picks from the 14th and 16th round on Wednesday. Fourteenth-rounder Tanner Witt signed for $225,000 ($72,500 goes toward the bonus pool) and 16th-rounder Josh Blum signed for $150,000, per Carlos Collazo of Baseball America.

Amazin’s first round pick Carson Benge also signed with the club. Click here for more details on the contract signing. 

Latest MLB News

After leaving just two innings into his first rehab appearance with a sore knee, Mike Trout was not in the Los Angeles Angels Triple-A affiliate Salt Lake Bees lineup on Wednesday night and will be returning to Southern California to be reevaluated. 

The Dodgers signed and activated INF Nick Ahmed, replacing Miguel Rojas who was rettroactively placed on the IL to July 22 with right forearm tightness, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. The Dodgers also activated RHP Tyler Glasnow.

The Milwaukee Brewers placed former MVP OF Christian Yelich on the 10-day IL with low back inflammation. Yelich will see a spine specialist on Thursday to discuss next steps, including the possibility of season-ending back surgery, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.

MLB Network announced their direct-to-consumer offer for fans on Wednesday. Fans can purchase MLB Network through a standalone offer of $5.99 per month and through other avenues as well.

Prince Fielder‘s son, Jadyn Fielder, is joining the Brewers organization as an undrafted free agent, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The 19-year-old plays second and third base.

Chris Sale, who was supposed to start for the Braves on Wednesday night, will now pitch the first game against the Mets on Thursday, per David O’Brien of The Athletic. Charlie Morton, Spencer Schwellenbach and Reynaldo López, in that order, will start rest of the games against the Mets.

Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, that he will be retiring after the conclusion of the 2024 season. Kiermaier is still playing with the Blue Jays despite the team placing him on waivers and exploring trade options for the 34-year-old Gold Glove center fielder.

MLB will be redirecting money collected from teams that spend over the luxury tax to teams whose TV revenues are hurting, per Evan Drellich of The Athletic. The CBA provision will give teams losing TV money up to $15 million each, with an estimated limit of $75 million in payment league wide. 

Latest on MMO

Mathias Altman-Kurosaki looked into potential Mets trade target A.J. Puk.

Ricky Keeler highlighted Jeff McNeil‘s power surge in the second half.

David Melendi applauded the Mets bullpen brilliance on Tuesday night. 

On This Date in Mets History

2023: The Mets take the second game of a two-game set to split their Subway Series bout with the Yankees. Justin Verlander threw six scoreless innings and Pete Alonso hit two homers in the 9-3 victory.

2015: In his second MLB game, Michael Conforto goes 4-for-4 with a walk, and RBI, and four runs scored in a 15-2 romping of the Dodgers at Citi Field.

2014: Lucas Duda hits a two-run go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth inning off former Mets closer K-Rod, Francisco Rodríguez. Jenry Mejía went on to throw a scoreless bottom of the ninth to lock down the 3-2 win.

1990: Leading 10-3 going into the bottom of the ninth, the Mets give up six runs before John Franco forces a lineout with the tying run on third base to hold on to a 10-9 win.

Birthdays: Guillermo Mota (51), Billy Wagner (53)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Sweep Subway Series For First Time Since 2013 appeared first on Metsmerized.

Wow… We’ve seen plenty of bizarre days in Flushing and Wednesday made a case to be high on that list.

The day started with a gut punch as the Mets lost their closer, Edwin Díaz, to the IL with a right shoulder impingement. But, that would only be the beginning.

Early in the Mets’ 10-3 loss to the Dodgers, Pete Alonso left the game after getting hit by a pitch on the hand. X-rays were negative, but the Mets are waiting on the results of the CT scan.

Jorge López was the star of the Mets’ meltdown on Wednesday. After Adam Ottavino gave the Dodgers a two-run lead in the eight inning, Jorge López came in to clean up the mess with two runners on base. Obviously, it did not go his way, allowing four more runs to come in. But that was just the prequel; in his at-bat against Freddie Freeman, the third base umpire did not give López the call on a Freeman check swing attempt. López barked at the ump, got ejected, then threw his glove over the net and into the crowd as he walked off the field.

Despite a team meeting before talking to the media, López did not hold back, going in on his team. While there was controversy about what he really said about being the “worst teammate” and/or on the “worst team”, López said he did not regret throwing his glove into the stands. 

It was announced shortly after that the Mets are planning on DFA’ing López after his tirade, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post. To get a more in-depth breakdown of Wednesday’s circus, click here.

Screenshot via SNY Twitter

Latest Mets News

The Mets will be calling up Danny Young to replace López for now, Will Sammon of The Athletic reported late Wednesday night.

Mets closer Edwin Díaz was placed on the 15-day IL with a right shoulder impingement. They recalled LHP Josh Walker from Triple-A Syracuse to take the roster spot. Click here to learn more about the injury.

The Mets held a players-only team meeting after yesterday’s loss, which was initiated by Francisco Lindor, according to Brandon Nimmo.

Steve Cohen’s plan to build a casino outside of Citi Field has hit a snag as it is meeting opposition from a state senator. Click here for more information.

Drew Smith made his first rehab start for Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday: 1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K.

Blade Tidwell made his second start for Triple-A Syracuse: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 2 K, 85 pitches/47 pitches.

Latest MLB News

Tampa Bay Rays top prospect Junior Caminero has a Grade 2 left quad strain and is likely to miss 4-6 weeks, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.

The Boston Red Sox placed OF Tyler O’Neill on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to May 26, with right knee inflammation.

The Atlanta Braves’ No. 5 prospect in their system, Owen Murphy, is undergoing Tommy John Surgery, per Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com.

Former Cleveland Guardians outfielder Ramón Laureano signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves.

Yu Darvish left Wednesday’s game with left hamstring tightness, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The Toronto Blue Jays will be unveiling their City Connect jerseys Thursday.

Former Angels infielder David Fletcher made his first start as a pitcher with the Gwinnett Stripers on Wednesday, putting up a line of 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K. He struck out Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday in the outing.

The Detroit Tigers placed OF Kerry Carpenter on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to May 27, with lumbar spine inflammation.

Spencer Schwellenbach, the Braves number 3 prospect, made his big league debut yesterday and gave up three runs on five hits in five innings.

Toronto Blue Jays RHP Alek Manoah was removed from Wednesday night’s game with right elbow discomfort.

Latest on MMO

The Mets suffer another painful loss.

Edwin Díaz hits the injured list.

Jorge López explodes and gets DFA’d.

On This Date in Mets History

2013: The Mets sweep the Yankees for the first time in Subway Series history. Dillon Gee threw 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball in a 3-1 win in the final game. 

Birthdays: Zack Wheeler (34), Fernando Salas (39)

The post Morning Briefing: A Disastrous Day in Flushing appeared first on Metsmerized.