The New York Mets begin September 15 in the second Wild Card spot with a half game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Mets are also a half game behind the San Francisco Giants for the first Wild Card spot. With 16 games to go, anything can happen. Right now, it looks like two of those three aforementioned teams will face off in the one-game playoff, unless the Miami Marlins or the Pittsburgh Pirates go on a big winning streak. The look of the Mets remaining schedule makes their playoffs odds seem strong.
Mets Remaining Schedule Makes Playoffs Attainable
Minnesota Twins (September 16-18)
The Mets start their final 16 games at home, where they’ll take on the Minnesota Twins, who have the worst record in all of baseball at 54-92. In baseball, even the worst teams can get hot and go on streaks. However, with the Twins winning only three of their last 10 games, that looks unlikely.
Prediction: Mets sweep
Atlanta Braves (September 19-21)
After facing the team with the worst record in baseball, the Mets host the team with the second worst record in baseball. The Atlanta Braves are 56-90 this year and, like the Twins, have only won three of their last 10 games.
The Mets lead the series season 9-7. Though the Braves are a 90-loss team, the Mets haven’t been able to dominate them. Even when the Mets were at the top of their game last week and won six in a row, the Braves were still able to beat the Mets once in the Mets last ever series at Turner Field.
Prediction: Mets win two of three
Philadelphia Phillies (September 22-25)
The Mets will be seeing a lot of the Philadelphia Phillies for the rest of the season. Almost half of their remaining games will be against the Phillies. First, the Phillies will come to Citi Field for a four-game series from September 22-25. That will be the Mets last home series of the year.
The Phillies are tied for the eighth-worst record in basebal,l at 65-81. The Phillies performance in their last 10 games is less important now compared to the Braves and Twins last 10 games, since the Mets will be facing the Phillies a little bit further down the road. Nonetheless, they are 5-5 in their last 10, which shows they haven’t been too hot or too cold recently. The Mets lead the season series 7-5. That is similar to the Mets/Braves season series in that the Mets haven’t dominated a losing team. Considering the Mets will be playing their final home series of 2016 against the Phillies, they will have a little something extra to play for.
Prediction: Mets win three of four
Miami Marlins (September 26-28)
The Mets begin their final road trip against Miami before finishing their season in Philadelphia. The Marlins have the best record of any of the teams remaining on the Mets schedule, at 73-73.
On the positive side for the Mets, they just swept the Marlins in their last meeting. The Mets also lead the Marlins 10-6 in the season series, which is the Mets highest winning percentage against any divisional opponent. Also, as of now, Jose Fernandez is on track to start on September 25th against the Braves, which would cause him to miss the Mets series.
Prediction: Mets win two of three
Philadelphia Phillies (September 30-October 2)
The Mets finish the regular season by going to Philadelphia for a three-game series. The Phillies will be concluding their season at home, giving them a little something to play for this time. It is also possible the Mets may have nothing to play for, as they may have clinched a Wild Card spot by this point.
Prediction: Phillies win two of three
Mets Chances at a Wild Card Are Good
The Mets appear to have a good chance at making the playoffs. Finishing the season 11-5 is realistic, though predicting baseball games is difficult. Anything can happen over the course of 162 games, including teams going on cold and hot streaks. However, given how weak the Mets remaining opponents are, the way the Mets have been playing well recently, and the way the Giants and Cardinals have been playing poorly recently, taking one of the two Wild Card spots is realistic for the Mets.
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