The New York Mets head to Atlanta, Georgia for a doubleheader today that will determine the fate of their regular season. Following the impacts of Hurricane Helene, the final two games of this critical series were delayed until today. With the regular season ending for the other 28 teams yesterday, both the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves know what they have to do to qualify for the 2024 MLB Playoffs. How will the doubleheader unfold?
New York Mets Control Their Destiny
The New York Mets path(88-72) to make the MLB Playoffs is simple. They must win one of the two games today to clinch the final playoff spot. If either the Mets or the Atlanta Braves(88-72)win both games today, they would catapult into the second wild card spot. Both New York and Atlanta hold the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Arizona Diamondbacks (89-73). If either the Mets or Braves were to lose both games today they would fall out out of the playoff race and Arizona would slide in.
Looking Ahead To Game One
The first game of the doubleheader will pit New York Mets Starting Pitcher Tylor Megill(4-5, 3.98 ERA) against Braves Starting Pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach(8-5, 3.47 ERA). Megill has rounded into form as the regular season has wound down. He has been stellar with a 1.89 ERA in September. Megill faced Atlanta in July and fared well. He surrendered four earned runs over six innings of work. Megill needs to be at the top of his game for the New York Mets to compete in the first game of the doubleheader.
Schwellenbach has had New York’s number this season. In two starts against them, he has surrendered two earned runs over 14 innings. The New York Mets offense will need to crack the Schwellenbach code this afternoon or the second game will become do-or-die.
Looking Ahead To Game Two
The second game of the doubleheader will pit New York Mets Starting Pitcher Luis Severino(11-7, 3.91 ERA) against Braves Starting Pitcher Chris Sale(18-3, 2.38 ERA). Severino has experienced a career resurgence this season in Flushing Meadows. He faced Atlanta in his last start and was roughed up. He surrendered four earned runs over four innings of work. Severino will need to pitch better this afternoon.
Sale has regained his Cy Young form this season in Atlanta and is the prohibitive favorite to win this year’s award. He faced New York once this season and dominated them. Sale surrendered two earned runs over 7.1 innings and punched out nine. Sale has one more start to put a bow on his Cy Young-winning campaign. The second game of the doubleheader will be a critical game as whichever team loses the first game will need to win the second game to make the MLB Playoffs.
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