Mets Face Series of the Year in Atlanta
This is it folks.
This one is for all the marbles. A World Series is not on the line, but the road to potentially get there certainly is for the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves.
For a better part of the last two months the Braves have been right on the heels of the Amazin’s. While the Mets have a tremendous story all season long, the Braves have reminded us all why they are defending World Series Champions. Since the start of June, Atlanta is 74-32, and has chipped away at the Mets 10.5 game lead to — at times — nothing.
This past week the Braves and Mets found themselves in a virtual tie when the Mets lost the opener of a two-game mid-week series to Miami. Atlanta had just taken the first two games of a series vs. Washington to even things up in the standings.
With New York’s thrilling 5-4 win over Miami, coupled by the Braves shocking 3-2 loss to Washington on Wednesday, the Mets waltz into Atlanta with a one-game lead.
If New York wins one game, they will hold a tie-breaker over Atlanta to win the division. Win two of three, and the Mets can all but pop champagne bottles for the division title. If the Mets get swept by the Braves, panic will undoubtedly ensue.
There are no excuses for the Mets. They are sending Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer to the hill on Friday and Saturday night. This is what Steve Cohen, Billy Eppler and Buck Schowalter dreamed of when they signed Scherzer in the off-season, to have two of the best starters in baseball atop the rotation is critical playoff series.
Well here we are.
deGrom struggled his last three starts — uncharacteristically giving up 11 runs in those starts, including five to Oakland last weekend. The Mets need the Jake who held the Braves to just two runs on a hit, while striking out 12 in a start back in early August.
If the Mets get that deGrom, and get another solid effort from Scherzer, things could be looking up for New York.
The Mets will also get a bit of a jolt in the arm when catcher Francisco Alvarez makes his long overdue debut tonight as either catcher or designated hitter. Both Daniel Voglebach and Darin Ruf haven’t cut it as DH. Alvarez has lots of pop in his right handed bat, and could provide the energy that Brett Baty provided when he made his MLB debut against Atlanta in early August.
It’s gonna be a heck of a weekend!
