2 reasons Mets fans should panic after the Mariners sweep, 1 reason we shouldn’t

Panic because the Mets are now battling with multiple teams for only one Wild Card spot

There was some good to come out of the weekend. The Atlanta Braves managed to beat the Colorado Rockies only once in three attempts. They even almost blew the one game they did win. They hold a half-game lead over the Mets.

What’s scary is how close the teams behind have managed to get. The St. Louis Cardinals remain relevant at only 1.5 games out of a spot which they now share with the San Francisco Giants. Don’t overlook the Chicago Cubs either. Despite their 59-60 record, they’ve matched the 8-2 record by the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres over the last 10. Their pitching can do to a team like the Mets what Seattle’s did over the weekend.

For much of the year, the NL Wild Card teams were mostly average with the Braves holding onto the top spot as the superior team. Not anymore. This is no longer a half-dozen ball clubs looking to back into two spots. It’s not a slobber knocker for one.

Perhaps most frightening of all is the next road trip for the Mets that’ll conveniently take them to Arizona and San Diego. Those clubs have put their foot on the gas in the second half. The Mets better load up on wins at home or this could be over by Labor Day.