Mets schedule includes only two teams over .500 before the All-Star break

The New York Mets schedule is softening up beginning with their four games at home against the Miami Marlins starting this Friday. Luckily for them, it’s not the only time they face subpar teams. After two in the road greys against the Houston Astros, they play three more against the Marlins then two more versus the Astros—this time at home.

The schedule eases up further with only one team left with a record over .500 before the All-Star break. It’s a three-game set versus the Atlanta Braves down in Georgia.

The Mets schedule offers them a chance to win a lot of games before the first half is over

Other teams on the schedule include the Texas Rangers (in New York) plus the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs on the road. The Mets come out of the All-Star break with three at Citi Field against the San Diego Padres followed by two games of hosting the New York Yankees.

The MLB schedule is never fully balanced and even if it was, you can only get an advantage or disadvantage depending on when the game takes place. Catching a club when they’re suffering through major injuries is a big win. Seeing a team that underachieved after the trade deadline offers an unexpected opportunity to win a bunch of games.

The Mets will get a good portion of their out-of-division games out-of-the-way prior to the All-Star break. It’s not necessarily a good or bad thing. On the positive side, the only time they visit the West Coast again is in late September against the Oakland Athletics. By that point, the A’s should be less concerned about winning and more focused on seeing what they have for next year’s roster.

Another team on the September schedule, the Pittsburgh Pirates, offer the Mets opportunities to win. However, it was against the Pirates in 2021 that the Mets began to show cracks. The Pirates also handled the Los Angeles Dodgers well this season so who knows what they’ll be like after they are eliminated from playoff contention in the final month of the season?

Right now, the Mets’ focus is on the games in the immediate future. They are finally playing the Marlins and have an opportunity to pile up a couple of wins. While the Mets certainly seemed destined to at least earn a playoff berth through a wild card, a National League East title provides them with a better seed and a greater likelihood of not bouncing out of the postseason quickly.

Ease from the upcoming schedule can help get them there. First, they need to take advantage of the schedule they’ve been handed.