The New York Mets improved their possibilities at making the playoffs Saturday — and received a glimpse at their doubtlessly shiny future.
The Mets will look to take care of their lead within the race for the ultimate Nationwide League wild-card spot Sunday evening once they host the Philadelphia Phillies of their regular-season house finale.
Tylor Megill (4-5, 4.08 ERA) is slated to begin for the Mets towards fellow right-hander Zack Wheeler (16-6, 2.56).
The Mets prevented the Phillies from clinching the NL East Saturday as 22-year-olds Francisco Alvarez and Luisangel Acuna every homered in a 6-3 win.
Alvarez added a key two-run double within the seventh for the Mets (86-69), who remained two video games forward of the Atlanta Braves within the race for the ultimate NL wild card spot and one sport behind the second wild card, the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Alvarez has homered in every of his previous two video games and 5 instances up to now 9 relationship again to Sept. 11.
“He is been working actually onerous behind the scenes for months,” Mets supervisor Carlos Mendoza mentioned. “And at last it is paying off.”
Acuna, the youthful brother of Braves outfielder and reigning NL Most Precious Participant Ronald Acuna Jr., is hitting .385 with three homers and 23 whole bases in his first eight large league video games since he was promoted from Triple-A Syracuse Sept. 14.
“Unbelievable manufacturing from Acuna,” Mets left fielder Brandon Nimmo mentioned. “I imply, to ask a younger man like him to come back in and step in like he is doing — you do not see that on a regular basis.”
The Phillies (92-63) are hoping they solely have to attend yet one more day to clinch the NL East for the primary time since 2011. Philadelphia, which entered Saturday tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers for one of the best document within the NL, is 4 video games forward of the NL Central-winning Brewers.
“The most important factor for us is that we wish to have the ability to get the division,” Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber mentioned. “But additionally, two, we need to maintain profitable baseball video games till the top of the season.”
Megill continued his late-season resurgence final Tuesday evening, when he earned the win after permitting an unearned run over six innings because the Mets beat the Washington Nationals 10-1. He’s 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 4 begins — all of which New York has gained — since being recalled from Syracuse on Aug. 30.
Megill is 3-1 with a 2.54 ERA in 5 profession begins towards the Phillies. He was the beginning pitcher and earned the win on April 29, 2022, when he and 4 relievers teamed as much as no-hit Philadelphia in a 3-0 victory.
Wheeler additionally remained sizzling Tuesday, when he gained his fourth straight begin after giving up one run over seven innings because the Phillies defeated the Milwaukee Brewers, 5-1. He has a 1.38 ERA throughout the profitable streak.
Wheeler, who performed with the Mets from 2013 by means of 2019 earlier than signing with the Phillies in December 2019, is 5-4 with a 3.64 ERA in 14 begins towards New York.
–Area Stage Media
