What shall be maybe a very powerful sequence of the 2024 MLB common season takes place this week at Truist Park. The Atlanta Braves will host the NL East rival New York Mets for 3 video games and there would possibly solely be one postseason spot for these two groups. One will play baseball in October, that may be a certainty, and the opposite’s season may finish with Recreation 162 this coming Sunday. And with a possible hurricane bearing down on the area, stakes have by no means been larger.
Listed here are the Nationwide League wild-card standings:
- San Diego Padres: 90-66 (+3.5 GB)
- New York Mets: 87-69 (+0.5 GB)
- Arizona Diamondbacks: 87-70
============================= - Atlanta Braves: 85-71 (1.5 GB)
Each NL workforce behind Atlanta has been eradicated from the wild-card race. It is a four-team race for 3 spots with the season winding down. This week’s sequence with the Mets is the Braves’ finest likelihood — possibly their final likelihood — to achieve significant floor in a brief time frame. It is also an opportunity for the Mets to bury Atlanta and successfully finish their season.
“You knew it a pair weeks in the past, proper? That sequence might be gonna assist determine this factor,” Braves catcher Sean Murphy mentioned over the weekend (through the Atlanta Journal-Structure). “We all know what we’re up in opposition to and we all know what we gotta do.”
Two years in the past, the Mets went to Truist Park for the second-to-last sequence of the common season, acquired swept in three video games, and misplaced first place within the NL East. The Braves are hoping for a repeat. It is perhaps the one approach they get a wild-card spot. Listed here are the small print for this week’s Braves vs. Mets sequence in Atlanta. Choose video games may be streamed on fuboTV (attempt free of charge).
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Tues., Sept. 24 |
7:20 p.m. ET |
RHP Luis Severino (11-6, 3.79 ERA) vs. RHP Spencer Schwellenbach (7-7, 3.61 ERA) |
Bally Sports activities South, SNY |
fubo (attempt free of charge) |
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Wed., Sept. 25 |
7:20 p.m. ET |
LHP David Peterson (9-3, 3.08 ERA) vs. LHP Chris Sale (18-3, 2.38 ERA) |
Bally Sports activities South, SNY |
fubo (attempt free of charge( |
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Thurs., Sept. 25 |
7:20 p.m. ET |
LHP Sean Manaea (12-5, 3.29 ERA) vs. LHP Max Fried (10-10, 3.42 ERA) |
Bally Sports activities South, SNY |
fubo (attempt free of charge) |
Each groups are beginning their three finest pitchers this week and it isn’t a coincidence. The Mets used Monday’s off-day to bump Jose Quintana’s begin again from Tuesday to Friday, and moved Severino, Peterson, and Manaea up so they may face the Braves. Sale is the NL Cy Younger favourite and Manaea has finished a fantastic Sale impersonation since copying him and decreasing his arm slot.
The Braves and Mets each had an off-day Monday, so their bullpens shall be rested — or as rested as they are often this time of 12 months — when the sequence begins Tuesday. Right here now are 5 issues to know going into this week’s ultra-important sequence at Truist Park.
1. Clinching eventualities
Let’s get the straightforward stuff out of the best way first: Atlanta can’t clinch a postseason berth throughout this sequence with the Mets. Even when they sweep the Mets and the D-backs lose their video games to the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday and Wednesday (they’re off Thursday), the Braves can’t clinch a wild-card spot this sequence. They’ve to attend till the weekend even within the best-case state of affairs.
As for the Mets, it is fairly easy. Win two video games this sequence, and so they’re within the postseason. The D-backs will play a task in deciding New York’s precise wild-card seed, and that is probably not determined till Recreation 162, however take two video games in opposition to the Braves and the Mets are in. The Braves will not essentially be eradicated — they may nonetheless move Arizona — however the Mets are in with two wins.
2. Lindor may return this sequence
Francisco Lindor, New York’s MVP candidate, has not performed since Sept. 15 due to a lingering again difficulty that’s unhealthy sufficient to require a aspect joint injection into his backbone (ouch) over the weekend. Lindor shouldn’t be in Tuesday’s lineup, although he’s optimistic he’ll play once more this season, even whether it is unlikely he’ll accomplish that pain-free.
After all, the Mets have finished simply fantastic with out Lindor. They’re 6-1 since Lindor final performed thanks largely to rookie Luisangel Acuña, Ronald’s youthful brother, who stepped in at shortstop. Acuña is 9 for 22 (.409) with two doubles, a triple, and three dwelling runs since Lindor went down. The Mets acquired Acuña from the Texas Rangers in final summer season’s Max Scherzer commerce.
Additionally, veteran gloveman Jose Iglesias has stepped into the leadoff spot since Lindor final performed and is 14 for 30 (.467) with two doubles and a homer in that function. Iglesias took over because the on a regular basis second baseman when an errant pitch broke Jeff McNeil’s wrist two weeks in the past. Now he is subbing in at leadoff, and he is been unimaginable. The 34-year-old is hitting .337/.381/.459 in 2024.
Acuña and Iglesias have been glorious throughout Lindor’s absence, however clearly, the Mets are at their finest when their MVP candidate is main off and enjoying shortstop. Lindor may return Wednesday or Thursday. It is a chance, however not a certainty. If he can, nice. If not, then the Mets will lean on Acuña and Iglesias to proceed their latest excellence for one more few video games.
3. Thursday’s recreation is a make-up recreation
This was initially a two-game sequence. Thursday’s sequence finale is a make-up recreation of the April 10 rainout, and good gravy, suppose how a lot issues have modified since then! Acuña — Ronald, not Luisangel — was wholesome on April 10. So had been Lindor and Austin Riley. Murphy was on the injured checklist on the time. Manaea, Thursday’s scheduled starter, had not but lowered his arm slot and morphed into an ace. Iglesias and Mark Vientos had been in Triple-A. On and on we may go.
The common season is an extended 162-game grind and a lot has modified since this recreation was initially on the books. And you realize what? That is baseball. Generally you win, generally you lose, and generally it rains. On paper, I might say the rainout favors the Mets. They’re going to have Iglesias and Vientos within the lineup and this Manaea on the mound Thursday, and Braves will not have Acuña and Riley within the lineup. However, because of this they play the video games. “On paper” means nothing.
4. Who’s sizzling, who’s not
Baseball is a sport of cold and warm streaks. Day-to-day and week-to-week consistency is a fantasy. As such, a number of gamers head into this week’s sequence swinging the bat higher than others. Listed here are the most popular Mets in September:
Acuña and Iglesias have been glorious as nicely this month and particularly recently. All 5 of Alvarez’s September dwelling runs have are available his final 10 video games, and Taylor has been so good that he is performed virtually each single day down the stretch. He is began eight of the final 10 video games whereas rotating between the three outfield spots.
On the opposite finish of the spectrum, JD Martinez has been simply dreadful in September (.068/.180/.091), and is now on the brief aspect of a DH platoon with Jesse Winker. Vientos has struck out in near 40% of his plate appearances in September and is having a tricky month as nicely. Other than his game-winning homer Sunday, Brandon Nimmo has been quiet on the plate the previous couple of weeks.
Right here now are three Braves gamers who’ve swung the bat nicely in September:
Soler’s outfield protection has been poor since becoming a member of the Braves, although his bat is making up for it this month. Marcell Ozuna has been nice in September as nicely — he is been nice all 12 months, actually — slashing .329/.417/.425. As our R.J. Anderson wrote final week, the Braves have gotten very nice manufacturing from damage replacements like Ramón Laureano and Whit Merrifield.
Atlanta’s September laggers embody each catchers, Murphy (.079/.182/.184) and Travis d’Arnaud (.171/.310/.200), and shortstop Orlando Arcia (.160/.213/.267). Arcia has been a drain on the offense all 12 months. The Braves figured that they had sufficient offense to hold his gentle bat this season, however accidents have made his lack of manufacturing a bit extra pricey.
5. What’s subsequent?
That is the ultimate week of the common season and this Braves vs. Mets sequence is every workforce’s second-to-last sequence of the 12 months. After this, the Mets head to Milwaukee to play a Brewers workforce that has already clinched the NL Central and nonetheless has an opportunity to get a Wild Card Sequence bye. Their precedence is avoiding damage and placing themselves in the absolute best place for October, not chasing each final common season win, however do not count on them to roll over with the bye nonetheless in play.
The Braves, in the meantime, keep dwelling to play three video games in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Royals this weekend. The Royals are in their very own postseason race — they are a recreation up on a wild-card spot — so, on paper, the ultimate sequence is benefit Mets. They’re going to play a Brewers workforce that has already gained the division and is not going all-out to win each final recreation whereas the Braves get a determined Royals workforce. There’s an opportunity — a small one, however nonetheless an opportunity — Recreation 162 between the Braves and Royals this coming Sunday is a win or go dwelling scenario for each groups. Would not that be enjoyable?