If this is a foreign feeling to a lot of Mets fans, that’s probably because this hasn’t happened all that often.
The Mets control their own destiny entering a make-or-break three-game series with the second-place Braves down in Atlanta beginning Friday with the National League East title on the line. They currently hold a one-game lead over the defending World Series champions after a wild comeback win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night, which came just moments after the Braves dropped their finale against the Washington Nationals.
Should the current standings hold, it would be just the seventh time in franchise history that they’d win their division should they find success down in Georgia.
While it was once believed that the set could be impacted by Hurricane Ian, the latest forecasts suggest that they’ll be able to get all three games in without much of an issue.
Mets vs. Braves series schedule, TV
- Game 1: Friday, Sept. 30, 7:20 p.m. ET (SNY)
- Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 1, 7:20 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Game 3: Sunday, Oct. 2, 7:08 p.m. ET (ESPN)
The formula for the Mets is rather simple: They’ll continue to control their fate as long as they win at least one game down in Atlanta.
One win ensures that they win the 16-game season series. They currently lead 9-7 and the upper hand would ensure they hold the tiebreaker if they finish with the same record as the Braves.
If they win two games, their magic number is down to one — meaning a single win in their final series of the regular season against the Washington Nationals would clinch the division.
A sweep of the Braves would see the Mets clinch the NL East at Truist Park down in Atlanta.
“We’re excited about the opportunity we have the last six games, which includes Atlanta down there,” Mets manager Buck Showalter said. “We know how good they are. We got an opportunity just like they do. It’s great for baseball and our sport.”
The Mets are trotting out their big guns to try and get the job done as quickly as possible. Jacob deGrom will start Friday against Max Fried, followed by Max Scherzer opposite of Kyle Wright, and Chris Bassitt taking the finale against Charlie Morton.
“It’s huge having a game lead going into a three-game series,” Mets starter Taijuan Walker, who pitched on Wednesday, said. “We have our three best pitchers going right now. It’s going to be fun, it’s going to be a dogfight.”
