David Schoenfield, ESPN Senior Writer
Yes, we've got yet another day of regular-season baseball to be performed. Sunday's outcomes did not settle the National League wild-card race, so the New York Mets jumped on a aircraft to Atlanta for a doubleheader towards the Atlanta Braves on Monday (1 p.m. ET on ESPN2). The Arizona Diamondbacks shall be watching — they want one among these groups to tug off a sweep in order to get into the playoffs themselves.
Let's break down a few of the doubleheader's greatest questions:
OK, why are we right here in the primary place?
These are make-up video games from the 2 Hurricane Helene-related rainouts in final week's Mets-Braves sequence. Without them, the present standings have the Braves, Mets and Diamondbacks in a digital tie for the ultimate two wild-card spots, necessitating the 2 video games be performed:
Diamondbacks: 89-73
Mets: 88-72
Braves: 88-72
The essential factor to know right here: Both the Mets and Braves maintain the tiebreaker over the Diamondbacks by advantage of profitable their season sequence. That's why the Diamondbacks want a sweep to get in; if the Mets and Braves break up the doubleheader and all three groups end 89-73, the Diamondbacks keep dwelling.
Another factor to know: The Braves lead the season sequence over the Mets 6-5, so a break up would see them stay the upper seed.
What are the eventualities for every crew to clinch a playoff spot?
Let's run via these:
1. The Mets win the primary sport, the Braves win the second sport. The Braves are the No. 5 seed and head to the No. 4 San Diego Padres for a best-of-three wild-card sequence beginning Tuesday. The Mets are the No. 6 seed and play the No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers. Yes, which means the Mets would have gone from Milwaukee on Sunday to Atlanta on Monday, and then again to Milwaukee on Tuesday. (The Braves must fly cross-country, however at the least they have been already in Atlanta.)
2. If the Braves win the primary sport and the Mets win the second, it is the identical end result. The Braves are the No. 5 seed and the Mets are the No. 6 seed.
3. The Mets win each video games. New York is the No. 5 seed and performs the Padres. The Diamondbacks are the No. 6 seed and play the Brewers in a rematch of final 12 months's wild-card sequence. The Mets journey from Milwaukee to Atlanta to San Diego. (They will not complain.)
4. The Braves win each video games. Atlanta is the No. 5 seed and performs the Padres; the Diamondbacks are the No. 6 seed and play the Brewers.
Keep in thoughts that whichever crew wins the primary sport of the doubleheader clinches a playoff spot. That will present much less incentive — or, actually, no incentive — for that crew to churn via its greatest relievers in the second sport. Not with the primary wild-card sport available for Tuesday.
Who are the beginning pitchers?
Well, to begin with, keep in mind: The scheduled starter is prone to change for the crew that wins the primary sport.
The Mets are going with right-hander Tylor Megill in the primary sport. Megill final pitched on Sept. 22 towards the Phillies, permitting one run in 4 innings (however throwing 93 pitches). He has allowed simply two runs over his previous three begins. Right-hander Luis Severino is on the schedule for the second sport. His final begin was the primary sport of the Atlanta sequence final Tuesday and he took the loss, permitting seven hits and 4 runs in 4 innings. He has a 3.17 ERA over his previous eight begins.
While the Mets used arguably their high three starters — Sean Manaea, Jose Quintana and David Peterson — over the weekend towards the Brewers, they're all lefties. These two righties would possibly truly be a greater matchup towards the righty-heavy Braves lineup that had a .778 OPS towards left-handed pitchers however .706 towards right-handers.
It's price noting right here that if each scheduled starters are used and the Mets advance — in the event that they lose the primary sport and win the second — they must use Manaea on three days' relaxation to begin the wild-card sequence.
The Braves introduced that rookie Spencer Schwellenbach will begin Game 1. He confronted off towards Severino final week and pitched a gem, permitting simply three hits and one run over seven innings. He confronted the Mets one different time, again in July, and had the perfect sport of his profession, hanging out 11 in seven scoreless innings.
Atlanta's starter for the second sport — for now — is Chris Sale.
Wait, yeah, what is going on on with Sale?
Good query. Sale, who leads the NL in wins, ERA and strikeouts, hasn't pitched since Sept. 19, when he went 5 innings towards the Cincinnati Reds. He was scheduled to begin one of many rained-out video games, however heading into the weekend the Braves stated they might now save Sale for an “emergency” scenario — that means, a must-win sport. That will come into play now provided that they lose the primary sport.
It's definitely an fascinating strategic resolution — if they'd gained Sunday with Sale pitching, they might have clinched a playoff spot. Instead, they'll use him in the second sport if wanted, and in the event that they win the primary sport, they're going to have Sale prepared to begin the primary sport of the wild-card sequence.
Of course, there's additionally this query: Is he one hundred pc proper now?
His four-seam fastball averaged 92.7 mph towards the Reds — his lowest common of the season, down from 95.9 mph the beginning earlier than, and down from his total season common of 94.8 mph. Maybe it was just a bit late-season fatigue: He was beginning on 4 days of relaxation and his earlier begin had come towards the Los Angeles Dodgers, when he had his second-highest common velocity. But a 2 mph drop is taken into account vital, so it is definitely one thing to notice.
Maybe there's nothing right here. Maybe the Braves have been simply holding Sale again with the hope that he would not be wanted and thus can be rested for the beginning of the postseason. We'll discover out if the Braves lose that first sport.
What concerning the bullpens?
Mets supervisor Carlos Mendoza used Edwin Diaz to shut out the 5-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. This is comprehensible — you do not need to fiddle in that scenario. But it was a secure five-run lead and Diaz ended up throwing 26 pitches. Now, there is a situation the place the Mets want him in six video games over 5 days, counting Sunday's finale, Monday's doubleheader and the wild-card sequence.
The Braves are in higher form; none of their high relievers — nearer Raisel Iglesias, Joe Jimenez or Pierce Johnson — pitched in Sunday's 4-2 loss to Kansas City. They even have one of many deepest and greatest bullpens in the league, in order that they're in fine condition to face up to the pains of a doubleheader.
