Mets playoff picture: Updated standings, schedule, scenarios for New York to make 2024 MLB postseason
Under first-year manager Carlos Mendoza, the Mets have already improved on their 2023 record of 75-87.
It’s been a roller coaster year for New York, which was 24-35 at one point but crawled back into the postseason race after a seven-game win streak in June that might’ve been sparked by Grimace.
Fransisco Lindor, up to 31 homers and 86 RBIs this season, has led the way in the Mets’ postseason chase. With the regular season dwindling down, the team is in clear pursuit of a postseason spot and remains in good position to achieve that goal.
Here’s a look at how the Mets’ playoff picture, including their current position in the NL standings, remaining regular season schedule, clinching scenarios and how any tiebreakers would be decided.
MORE: Most recent update on Fransisco Lindor’s injury status
Mets updated MLB playoff picture, standingsAs of Sept. 24, the Mets’ record sits at 87-70.
Here are the latest NL wild-card standings, with the Mets currently in a postseason spot:
Standings updated at 11 p.m. on Sept. 23.Â
NL wild-card standings
WC1: Padres, 90-66 (.577), +3.0 GBWC2: Mets, 87-70 (.554)WC3: Diamondbacks, 87-70 (.554)—
Braves, 86-71 (.548) 1.0 GBCubs, 81-77 (.513), ELIMINATEDCardinals, 79-77 (.506), ELIMINATEDGiants, 78-79 (.497), ELIMINATEDReds, 76-82 (.481), ELIMINATEDPirates, 73-84 (.465), ELIMINATEDNationals, 69-88 (.439), ELIMINATEDRockies, 60-96 (.385), ELIMINATEDMarlins, 58-99 (.369), ELIMINATEDAt this point in the Wild Card race, there are three spots available between four teams still alive. The Padres and Diamondbacks are both still mathematically alive in the NL West, but the Dodgers have a three-game lead on second-place San Diego and Los Angeles is likely to clinch that division soon.
With the Padres then owning a strong three-game lead in the NL wild-card standings, one of the biggest races to watch over the final stretch of the regular season is the two Wild Card spots between the Mets, Diamondbacks and Braves.
At this point, Atlanta trails one game behind both New York and Arizona, which have identical records. Because the Mets own the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Diamondbacks (4-3), they currently own the second wild card spot.
Right now, the Mets are in a position to make the postseason, but a massive final week could swing things in the NL Wild Card race.
If the MLB season ended todayAs the NL’s fifth seed, the Mets would visit the Padres in the Wild Card Series.
Mets remaining scheduleOn Tuesday, New York began a three-game series on the road vs. the Braves that could end up making or breaking which of the two teams claims a Wild Card spot.
DateOpponentTime (ET)Sept. 25at Braves7:20 p.m.Sept. 26at Braves7:20 p.m.Sept. 27at Brewers8:10 p.m.Sept. 28at Brewers7:15 p.m.Sept. 29at Brewers3:10 p.m.MORE: Updated Braves playoff picture
Mets MLB magic numberA magic number is the number of wins (by the leading team) and/or losses (by the trailing team) needed for a team to clinch a particular race. With the Mets currently in a Wild Card position, they have a magic number to officially clinch one of those three spots.
The Mets’ magic number for an NL Wild Card spot is currently five. However, they could potentially clinch that in a variety of ways, as they’ll be facing their biggest competitor for a postseason spot, the Braves, this week. Any combinations of Mets wins and Braves losses will affect New York’s chances, so going head-to-head changes things.
If New York takes two of three from Atlanta, it clinches a Wild Card spot. Or, if it goes 4-2 over its final six games, it’s in. Depending on how the Mets vs. Braves series goes, things could only get more complicated in the NL Wild Card race to end the season. However, as the season series between the two teams is currently split 5-5, the three-game series will decide any tiebreaking scenarios between the Mets and Braves.
MLB playoff tiebreakersWith tiebreaker games, or “Game 163,” no longer a thing, head-to-head tiebreakers are determined by the winner of the season series between the two teams.
If that record is split, the next tiebreaker becomes each team’s record in divisional games that season, no matter if they’re in the same or different divisions. Finally, if all else fails, the last tiebreaker is each team’s record within its league (American or National).
For three-way ties, if one team has a winning record that season against the other two, it takes the top spot. If two teams have the same record against each other but both own the season series against the third team, then that third team is pushed out and the original tiebreaking process is used for the other two teams.Â
With the Mets and Braves entering a three-game series to decide their season head-to-head record, the NL Wild Card race is set up for a potentially dramatic finish.
