The Mets' MLB wild-card playoff scenarios
New York Mets third baseman Mark Vientos. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The Mets (87-70, .554) and Diamondbacks (88-71, .553) are in a virtual tie for the second NL wild card spot. Atlanta (86-71) trails both teams by a game.
Since the Mets hold the regular-season tiebreaker with the Diamondbacks (4-3), any combination of four Mets wins or Diamondbacks losses would clinch a playoff spot for the Mets. The Mets could clinch as early as Saturday if they beat the Brewers on Friday and Saturday and the Diamondbacks lose twice to the Padres. The Brewers locked up the No. 3 seed in the playoffs already.
If the Diamondbacks win Friday and Saturday against the Padres and Atlanta loses twice to the Royals, the Diamondbacks clinch a playoff spot.
The Mets cannot be eliminated from the wild card race before Monday's scheduled doubleheader in Atlanta. If the Mets get swept by the Brewers and Atlanta sweeps Kansas City, Atlanta would have a two-game lead over the Mets with two games left to play against the Mets. That would bring the season-series tiebreaker into play, and Atlanta leads that, 6-5.
Atlanta would need to sweep the Royals and have the Diamondbacks lose twice to the Padres to clinch a playoff spot.
