3 takeaways as Mets head to Atlanta for fate-deciding doubleheader

MILWAUKEE — Here are three takeaways from the Mets’ weekend in Milwaukee, heading into their doubleheader Monday against Atlanta.

1. Francisco Lindor is hurting and helping

In his third game since returning from a back injury, Lindor looked much more like his regular self, catalyzing the Mets’ offense by going 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs, two runs scored and two steals.

A moment in the first inning, though, offered a reminder that he still is playing through pain. Scoring from second on Brandon Nimmo’s single to centerfield, Lindor slid headfirst into the plate, then was slow to get up. He literally crawled — hands and knees — for several feet before getting all the way up.

Lindor expected to play hurt for however long the Mets’ season lasts. That is very much holding true.

“I’m pretty sure he was feeling it,” manager Carlos Mendoza said of that play. He added of the shortstop more generally: “I don’t think we saw any hesitation there. He was Francisco Lindor today.”

Can he play 18 innings Monday if the Mets need him to?

“I would love to. We’ll see where I’m at,” he said. “We’re going to take it like we’ve been, day by day. As soon as we play the first game, we’ll address where we’re going to be for the second game.”

If the Mets win the first game, clinching a playoff spot, Lindor can sit out the second game.

2. The Mets’ bullpen is in OK shape . . . for now.

Thanks to David Peterson’s seven innings, Mendoza used only Phil Maton (for a second game in a row) and Edwin Diaz (for the first time in a week) out of the bullpen Sunday.

So everybody should be available for at least one appearance, perhaps two, Monday.

Diaz was a bit wild and needed 26 pitches to get through his scoreless ninth inning.

“If I have to, yeah,” he’ll pitch in both games, Diaz said. “We are playing for our playoff life. So I will be ready for sure.”

But if the Mets get into the postseason and begin a best-of-three series against the Brewers or Padres on Tuesday? The pitching could be in rough shape. But they’ll figure that out if they get there.

3. This is so much fun.

The Mets have been at this for six months — 7 1/2, if you count spring training. And it all comes down to one day. That’s incredible. Playing twice on what was supposed to be a day off before the playoffs is a huge drag for the Mets and Atlanta, but the entertainment value is high for baseball fans.

Hopefully Mets fans are enjoying. The team has put together a heck of a four months, reviving their season after they looked totally out of it by the end of May. This season may well be more satisfying than the 101-win club in 2022.

“I’d sign up for that (win-and-get-in, final-day doubleheader scenario) any day,” Mendoza said. “Especially with the way we started the year. Before the year, nobody expected us to be in this position and here we are, with a chance to do something special. That’s what we’ll do. We’ll go back to Atlanta. We’ll get that last one and go from there."

By Tim Healey

timothy.healey@newsday.com@timbhealey

Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.