Then they come in the home stretch. The Mets (76-64) have won seven games in a row and are 12 games over .500, a season-best, but are still outside of a playoff spot. And only by a hair’s breadth. One lost game separates them from the Atlanta Braves (76-63).
Jesse Winker (Grand Slam) and the bullpen (five pitchers together for five scoreless innings) shone in the 8:3 victory against the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday. Oh, and MVP candidate Francisco Lindor extended his hitting streak to 15 games and his on-base streak to 33 and continued to play Gold Glove-level defense.
Through Thursday, the NL Wild Card standings look like this:
- San Diego 80-61 +3
- Arizona 79-61 +2.5
- Atlanta 76-63 —
- New York 76-64 0.5
The Mets will take a well-deserved day off on Thursday (perhaps to check out a back-to-school sale or watch opening night of another sport) before hosting Cincinnati (67-73) this weekend.
The three playoff contenders ahead of the Mets in the standings are in action, a reminder that the Mets have the tiebreaker with the Padres and Diamondbacks.
Photo by D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (79-61) @ SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (68-72)
RHP Merrill Kelly (4-0, 4.30) vs. LHP Blake Snell (2-3, 3.56)
Thu, Sept 5, 2024 •3:45 PM ET • Oracle Park • San Francisco, California
Arizona finishes a series at San Francisco (68-72) before heading to Houston (75-64) for the weekend. The Diamondbacks, who like the Padres were one game over .500 at halftime, have been on a second-half surge. Perhaps good news for the Mets, as the NL West rivals face off in Phoenix on Sept. 27-29, the final weekend of the regular season. Someone has to lose at least two of three games.
COLORADO ROCKIES (51-89) vs. ATLANTA BRAVES (76-63)
LHP Austin Gomber (4-10, 4.69) vs. RHP Reynaldo López (8-4, 2.00)
September 5, 2024 • 7:20 p.m. • Truist Park • Atlanta, GA
Atlanta hosts Colorado (51-89) and hosts the Blue Jays (67-74) for three games this weekend at Truist Park. After the game against the Rockies, the Mets and Braves have 22 games left in the series, with a three-game series between the clubs in Atlanta coming up, with six games remaining to be played on September 24-26.
Detroit Tigers (70-70) at San Diego Padres (80-61)
Thursday, September 5, 2024 • Petco Park, San Diego, CA • 8:40 p.m. ET
RHP Casey Mize (2-6, 4.36) vs. LHP Martin Pérez (4-5, 4.71)
San Diego hosts Detroit (70-70) before a weekend series at home against San Francisco (68-72). The Padres have won three straight games and are a season-high 19 games over .500 after entering the All-Star break at 50-49.
