A doubleheader between the NY Mets against the Atlanta Braves will decide the last two tickets to the playoffs in the National League, with the third-party Diamondbacks involved. What are the views?
The three-team race to determine the last two wild-card tickets in the National League heats up in its final episode on Monday when the New York Mets visit the Atlanta Braves for a doubleheader.
The Mets and Braves will make up a pair of rain-stopped games between the two National League East division rivals last Wednesday and Thursday when Hurricane Helen hit the southeastern United States.
The Mets beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-0 on Sunday, the Braves fell 4-2 to the Kansas City Royals and the Arizona Diamondbacks, the third team in contention for the wild card, won a loss. Angels Lakers 11-2 San Diego Padres.
The Braves (88-72) punched their ticket with Sunday's loss, as a win would have ensured they would have passed. Atlanta is 6-4 over the Mets and 5-2 over the D-Backs.
New York (88-72) could have qualified with a win on Sunday and a loss to Arizona (89-73), which has already completed its regular season and will have to wait for Monday's results.
New York owns the tiebreaker against the Diamondbacks after winning the series 4-3 this season.
San Diego (93-69) will know its opponent in the wild-card series until Monday.
Three scenes
The Braves clinched a playoff spot…Win a game or two against the Mets. He'll be No. 5 and head to San Diego to face the Padres in the wild-card series starting Tuesday. If the Braves win Monday's doubleheader, they'll be out for the season.
Won a playoff spot…Win one or both games of a doubleheader. If they sweep the doubleheader, they will face the No. 5 seed and the Padres. If they split the doubleheader, they would be the 6th seed and face the Milwaukee Brewers in the wild card series. If they get swept by the Braves, they're out of the playoffs.
The Diamondbacks clinch a playoff spot…If any team does a doubleheader sweep. In any sweep scenario, they would be the 6th seed and face the Brewers in the wild card series. If the Mets and Braves split the doubleheader, they're out.