MILWAUKEE — The sector is lastly set. And the Mets are heading again to Milwaukee for the Nationwide League Wild Card Sequence.
The scouting reviews shall be a breeze, because the groups simply matched up within the remaining collection of the common season from Friday-Sunday earlier than New York jumped a flight to Atlanta for Monday’s doubleheader. The Mets punched a postseason ticket with a win in a thriller of a Recreation 1, then settled into the No. 6 seed by dropping Recreation 2.
It means the Mets’ first playoff collection underneath president of baseball operations David Stearns shall be towards the group he ran from late 2015 till 2022.
The Brewers, in the meantime, watched on one of many largest big-screen televisions you may think about whereas understanding at American Household Discipline. They’re rested, they usually gained 5 of the six head-to-head matchups towards the Mets within the common season.
“They’re a gifted bunch,” Mets first baseman Pete Alonso mentioned. “They play nice elementary baseball. They’ve obtained nice arms, they usually’ve carried out a very good job of getting well timed hits all through the course of the 12 months. So that they’re a very good ballclub, very effectively balanced. They’ll be a troublesome opponent, however I believe we’ll be prepared. I believe we’ll be prepared for positive.”
“You throw all of it out,” Brewers supervisor Pat Murphy mentioned. “This [Brewers] group hasn’t frightened about who they had been enjoying all 12 months. In some circumstances, they might not have realized what metropolis they had been in. …
“Each group left is able to successful, and up to date historical past has advised us that whether or not you’re a Wild Card group or a No. 1 seed, any group is succesful.”
Who’re the beginning pitchers?
Mets: Profitable Recreation 1 of Monday’s doubleheader was a boon for the Mets, who had been capable of save Luis Severino, certainly one of their greatest pitchers throughout the common season, for the Wild Card Sequence. In contrast to just about each different Mets pitcher, Severino is well-rested, not having taken the mound since Sept. 24. The Mets will search for him to offer extra size than he did in his solely assembly with the Brewers throughout the common season, a five-inning, six-run efficiency again on March 30.
“When the playoffs come, something can occur,” Severino mentioned. “I’ve obtained to present my greatest on the market. I do know the group goes to present their greatest.”
Brewers: After pitching alongside Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff for the primary 5 years of his profession, Freddy Peralta was the unquestioned chief of Milwaukee’s rotation in 2024 and delivered a strong season, posting a 3.68 ERA and changing into the fourth Brewers pitcher with a number of seasons of 200-plus strikeouts. Maybe most significantly for a membership that wanted 17 completely different beginning pitchers, matching a membership report, Peralta made each begin, setting profession highs for begins (32) and innings (173 2/3). But when there’s a knock on the right-hander, it’s effectivity. He pitched previous the sixth inning solely two instances all season.
What are the beginning lineups?
Mets: The Mets’ offense remodeled in mid-Could, when supervisor Carlos Mendoza made the choice to shift Francisco Lindor into the leadoff spot. He grew to become a bona fide NL MVP candidate from that time ahead, and the remainder of the Mets improved round him.
Jesse Winker, who struggled in September whereas batting .071/.250/.143, was within the lineup at DH over J.D. Martinez.
Brewers: Even with six first- or second-year gamers within the lineup, together with 20-year-old rookie Jackson Chourio, the Brewers took a major step ahead on the plate, going from seventeenth in on-base proportion and runs per sport in 2023 to fourth in on-base proportion and sixth in runs per sport in 2024. The largest distinction was group velocity; the Brewers’ 217 stolen bases had been second within the Majors and second-most in franchise historical past, led by Brice Turang changing into the fifth participant in membership historical past with 50 steals and Chourio changing into the youngest participant ever to achieve 20 homers and 20 steals in a season. Simply the specter of operating, the Brewers consider, impacts opposing defenses.
Regardless of being out with a bruised left hip, Sal Frelick was added on the NL Wild Card Sequence roster and was inserted into the lineup, batting eighth and beginning in proper.
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Mets: Requested instantly after Monday’s doubleheader if Edwin Díaz may very well be accessible to pitch on Tuesday, pitching coach Jeremy Hefner answered within the affirmative. It can depend on how rapidly Díaz recovers from the heaviest workload of his profession, which noticed him throw 66 pitches between Sunday and Monday. If Díaz is unable to go, Ryne Stanek is the Mets’ best-rested leverage choice.
New York’s prime setup man, Phil Maton, has equally pitched in three consecutive video games and struggled Monday throughout the third of these. He might have a day to get well.
With all that in thoughts, the Mets will hope Severino can pitch deep into Recreation 1. If he can’t, the group can have little alternative however to press José Buttó and Danny Younger into heavy responsibility.
Brewers: In case you haven’t watched the Brewers all season, you may not have the ability to title a Milwaukee reliever apart from nearer Devin Williams, the reigning NL Reliever of the Yr who missed the primary 4 months with a again damage however returned sturdy with a 1.25 ERA, 14 saves and a 43.2 p.c strikeout price. But, the Brewers led the NL throughout the common season with a 3.11 bullpen ERA. Trevor Megill logged 20 saves early within the season whereas Williams was down and now could be his 100 mph-throwing setup man. Different high-leverage innings go to Joel Payamps, a right-hander who has a 2.78 ERA in 137 appearances over the previous two seasons, and left-handers Jared Koenig and Aaron Ashby. Each are an instance of the best way wherein the Brewers have discovered worth in stunning locations in recent times; Koenig was a journeyman swingman earlier than discovering a high-90s fastball with the Brewers, and Ashby spent many of the previous two years enduring a troublesome restoration from shoulder surgical procedure earlier than rising late this season as a aid weapon. The Brewers have even helped veteran righty Joe Ross uncover a renaissance after an elbow damage stored him out of the Majors for all of 2022 and ’23.
Mets: Lindor actually seems recovered from the lower-back damage that sidelined him for many of late September. Though Lindor says he nonetheless feels ache bending over, he’s been capable of ignore it whereas going 4-for-9 with two homers, two stolen bases, 5 RBIs and 4 runs scored over his final two video games.
The Mets nonetheless don’t know if Kodai Senga, who has appeared in only one sport this season on account of shoulder, triceps and calf accidents, will have the ability to contribute in October. However they do realize it gained’t occur within the Wild Card Sequence.
Two large names gained’t play within the postseason, so don’t even give it some thought. Left fielder Christian Yelich had again surgical procedure in mid-August and shall be prepared for the beginning of Spring Coaching. And starter Brandon Woodruff goes step-by-step in his comeback from final fall’s shoulder surgical procedure. He gained’t pitch in 2024, regardless of how far the Brewers handle to go. However Woodruff will throw one of many ceremonial first pitches previous to Recreation 1, the group introduced.
Who’s sizzling and who shouldn’t be?
Mets: Lindor has been on hearth since recovering from his aforementioned again damage. Hold a watch additionally on two gamers who slumped early in September, Nimmo and Martinez. The previous has homered in 4 of his final 11 video games, whereas the latter has gone 3-for-8 with a stroll since busting out of a career-worst 0-for-36 droop over the weekend.
As for the not-so-hot, Alonso is in a 3-for-32 skid since his final homer on Sept 19.
Brewers: Williams completed the common season with 13 consecutive scoreless appearances together with one towards the Mets on Saturday, holding hitters 4-for-43 with 22 strikeouts in these video games. … After his OPS dropped as little as .575 on June 1, Chourio hit .305 with an .887 OPS from June 2 on, changing into certainly one of Milwaukee’s best hitters. … Coming off a team-best .844 OPS and 4 house runs in September, Mitchell shall be an necessary piece for the Brewers with Frelick at greatest hobbled for the collection. … Backup catcher Gary Sanchez was a weapon towards left-handers for a lot of the season however went 8-for-49 (.163) in September.
Anything followers may need to know?
• The Brewers are within the postseason for the sixth time within the final seven years. The Mets have made it twice in that very same span, however they haven’t gained a playoff collection since their World Sequence run in 2015.
• Willy Adames batted .307/.386/.603 with 27 homers and 91 RBIs within the Brewers’ 93 wins this season, and .171/.251/.262 with 5 homers, 21 RBIs within the membership’s 68 losses.
• In case you’re attending the sport in individual, parking tons open three hours previous to the primary pitch of postseason video games at American Household Discipline and the stadium gates open two hours previous to first pitch. The Brewers say they’re anticipating sellouts for the collection.