3 ways the Mets can further prove they are for real in 2022

Texas Rangers v New York Mets
Texas Rangers v New York Mets / Jim McIsaac/GettyImages
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What have you done for us lately, New York Mets? The team has been one of baseball’s most consistent clubs all year long. They begin July cemented as one of the top contenders in the National League. What more must they do to prove themselves to the public?

Dropping four out of four games to the Houston Astros didn’t help them in July. But that’s hardly enough to get concerned. Astros fans would be going nuts if they lost four games to a team—even one at the Mets’ level.

So what must the Mets do this month to prove they are for real?

1) NY Mets need to annihilate a very good team on the road

The Mets schedule doesn’t feature all that many truly good teams on it any longer. In fact, most of the better teams they do play takes place at Citi Field. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres still come to town. Away from Flushing, they don’t have all that many tough opponents.

The Mets already managed to split their series in Los Angeles and take one out of three versus the Padres down in Southern California. They had the same result when they played the San Francisco Giants earlier this year.

If there is one situation the Mets have yet to master, it’s the road game versus a good team. They haven’t been complete dogs away from Citi Field. But they also haven’t been barnstormers ready to kick down whoever it is they play.

In the handful of games against good teams they have on the road for the remainder of the year, the Mets need to at least come away with one dominating performance. Maybe then the few that haven’t bought in will pay up.

2) NY Mets need to prove to the Yankees they can hang with them

Losing every game to the Astros this season put a little dent in the aspirations for how far the Mets can go. It would have been nice to take at least one of the games in New York.

Speaking of New York baseball, the New York Yankees have been consistently winning all year. Because of the geographical location and the marketing of the Subway Series during the regular season, these teams will play each other yet again in 2022. When they do, the Mets need to prove they can hang with them.

The Mets will host the Yankees on July 26 and 27. They need to win at least one of those games to feel real good about themselves. Consider this some redemption for not performing strongly enough versus Houston.

On August 22 and 23, the two play their other pair of games. This time, it’s in The Bronx. Taking even one of those games will be a powerful statement especially with the timing of them. We’ll be past the trade deadline which means both clubs will be fully stocked for what they hope is a strong finish to the season.

At the very least, the Mets need to keep those games competitive. Each one. They got blown out twice by the Astros this year. The same cannot happen against the Yankees.

3) NY Mets need to punish the Braves for the rest of the season

The Mets and Braves will get to know each other very well in the next few months. The Braves are easily the biggest contender to dethrone the Mets from the National League East for good.

The two clubs have faced each other only four times this year with each taking a pair of games. While the Mets have a combined record of 22-7 against the other three National League East foes, they haven’t had a chance to put any serious dents in the Braves’ hopes and dreams.

There are plenty of opportunities for that. With trips to Atlanta and visits from them in New York left on the schedule, maybe the most important thing this club can do to prove they are for real is to take on what might be their biggest rival of all.

These two clubs have battled it out in the postseason twice, first in 1969 then again 30 years later in 1999. The Mets won the first series then won their first championship. Most recently, it was the Braves who were victorious. A rubber match would be a great way to end 2022—for the Braves. The Mets wouldn’t want to end it that way. They’d prefer to take down the reigning champions and be the ones to eliminate them from repeating.

In the regular season, some big wins against Atlanta can go a long way. A confident club is the best one. There might not be a better way to believe in yourself than big wins against Atlanta.

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