As the final day of the regular season comes to a close, the National League wild-card race remains unsettled. The stage is set for a thrilling doubleheader between the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves on Monday, with the Arizona Diamondbacks eagerly awaiting the outcome.
The Mets and Braves find themselves in this situation due to two rainouts from last week’s series, which were postponed due to Hurricane Helene. With the current standings showing a virtual tie for the final two wild-card spots, these makeup games are crucial.
The Diamondbacks need one of these teams to sweep the doubleheader to secure a playoff spot. If the Mets and Braves split the series and all three teams finish with identical records, the Diamondbacks will be eliminated due to losing the season series to both teams.
Let’s examine the scenarios for each team to clinch a playoff spot:
1. If the Mets win the first game and the Braves win the second, the Braves will be the No. 5 seed, facing the No. 4 San Diego Padres in a best-of-three wild-card series. The Mets will be the No. 6 seed, playing the No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers.
2. If the Braves win the first game and the Mets win the second, the result remains the same: the Braves as the No. 5 seed and the Mets as the No. 6 seed.
3. If the Mets win both games, they’ll be the No. 5 seed, playing the Padres, and the Diamondbacks will be the No. 6 seed, facing the Brewers in a rematch of last year’s wild-card series.
4. If the Braves win both games, they’ll be the No. 5 seed, playing the Padres, and the Diamondbacks will be the No. 6 seed, facing the Brewers.
Notably, the winner of the first game will secure a playoff spot, reducing the incentive to use top relievers in the second game.
The Mets will start right-hander Tylor Megill in the first game, followed by right-hander Luis Severino in the second. Megill has allowed just two runs over his past three starts, while Severino has a 3.17 ERA over his last eight starts.
The Braves will counter with rookie Spencer Schwellenbach in the first game, who pitched a gem against the Mets last week, allowing just three hits and one run over seven innings. Chris Sale is scheduled to start the second game, but his status is uncertain due to a recent drop in velocity.
Both teams’ bullpens will play a crucial role in the doubleheader. The Mets used closer Edwin Diaz to close out their win on Sunday, throwing 26 pitches, while the Braves’ top relievers did not pitch in their loss to Kansas City, leaving them well-rested for the doubleheader.
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