The New York Mets lost the series opener against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, but their games against each other on Wednesday and Thursday were suspended due to inclement weather. The league has determined that the two teams will play a doubleheader on Monday, a day before the start of the Wild Card series.
The Mets are in a three-way race for the postseason spot
The two games are, very likely, necessary to decide the playoff fate of three different squads: the Mets, the Braves, and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
As of Thursday afternoon, the Mets and D-Backs are essentially tied: the former boasts an 87-70 record and the latter is at 88-71. The Braves appear one game behind both of them, at 86-71.
The Mets have a path toward making the postseason this weekend in Milwaukee, against the Brewers, without having to depend on Monday’s doubleheader.
The Mets can make it to October without needing the doubleheader on Monday
To do that, there are two ways: the first one hinges on them winning at least one more game than Arizona. For example, if the Mets win just one, they need the D-Backs to be swept in their weekend series. If they win two, Arizona can win one of their three, and if the Mets sweep the Brewers, the Snakes can win no more than two against the San Diego Padres in order for New York to make the playoffs without needing Monday’s doubleheader.
It helps that the Mets hold the tiebreaker against Arizona, and that’s why a tie benefits New York. The other way involves the Braves, of course. Since Atlanta holds the tiebreaker against the Mets, the latter needs to win two more games than the 2021 World Series champs to make the postseason without the need to win any of the two games of Monday’s doubleheader.
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So, if the Mets win two, they need the Kansas City Royals to sweep the Braves. If they sweep, they would need Kansas to take two, at least, against Atlanta. Remember, these scenarios are only for the Mets not to depend on Monday’s doubleheader.
If the Mets fail to win at least two over the weekend, they depend on the D-Backs getting swept if they don’t want to depend on what happens on Monday.
