NL Wild Card Standings: Mets can do the unthinkable against the Braves

If you can’t celebrate a playoff clinch at home, you may as well do it in the next best place. The New York Mets are done with their games at Citi Field in the regular season—emphasis on the regular season—and will head to play the Atlanta Braves on their territory from Tuesday through Thursday.

A season-defining series for both ball clubs, it’ll begin with the Mets at least two games ahead of the Braves in the NL Wild Card standings. The Arizona Diamondbacks do play on Monday. Currently tied with the Mets but behind due to the tie-breaker, they’ll either gain or drop a half-game by the time the first pitch happens in Atlanta on Tuesday.

As for this upcoming monolith of a series in Atlanta, the Mets can do the unthinkable. A sweep clinches a playoff spot. So does a series victory.

All the Mets need to do is win 2 out of three against the Braves to clinch a playoff spot

It’s almost as if MLB scripted this. At best, the Mets punch their playoff ticket. At worst, they fall a single game behind the Braves with three to play. Then there’s the fairest outcome where one team wins two. Whoever happens to get the majority of wins will take the season series thus earning the tie-breaker, something the Mets have secured already versus the Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres ahead of them in the NL Wild Card standings. And if the Metropolitans get the tie-breaker against the Braves, they'll do it 3 games up with 3 to play thus mathematically earning a playoff spot.

This is a series the Mets have been preparing for. They’ve set their rotation, asking Luis Severino, David Peterson, and Sean Manaea to get the job done against the Braves this week.

With the exception of a couple of offensive explosions last week, the pitching has been the reason why the Mets have gotten to where they are. Skipping over/pushing back Jose Quintana who hasn’t allowed a run all month is showing a lot of confidence in David Peterson who has not been great in two of his last three starts.

An off-day on Monday will get the Mets the luxury of allowing Severino to go on regular rest to begin the series. He has faced the Braves twice this year, allowing 2 runs in 5 innings in a no-decision. The Mets would win those games by a score of 4-3 and 3-2. Expect nothing different. These teams are playing for their last breaths. But wait. Is that an oxygen tank the Mets are holding?