Your Friday morning dose of Mets and Major League Baseball news, notes, and links.
Meet the Mets
Thanks to Hurricane Helene, the Mets had the night off ahead of what could be a very busy four-day stretch, but the team successfully made its way to Milwaukee yesterday ahead of its three-game series against the Brewers.
With the Mets, Diamondbacks, and Braves still alive in the Wild Card race, Tim Healey writes that the Mets are well-positioned to clinch a spot.
Sean Manaea has been confirmed as the Mets’ start for the first game of that series tonight. The other two starting pitchers haven’t been decide yet.
Adam Ottavino plans to play winter ball after the season ends.
Around the National League Wild Card
The Diamondbacks had a scheduled day off yesterday, and at 88-71, the trail the Mets by a percentage point in the standings, but should the teams end up actually tied in the end, the Mets hold the tiebreaker.
Max Fried is slated to start the series opener tonight for the Braves—weather permitting, of course, after all the rain that Truist Park has taken on—while Chris Sale’s next start is to be determined.
Ronald Acuña Jr. hopes to be ready for Opening Day next year but has vowed to be patient.
Around Major League Baseball
The Twins’ dreadful stretch continued with another loss to the Marlins, leaving Minnesota three games back of the Royals and Tigers for the second and third AL Wild Card spots.
Adam Frazier and the bullpen saved the day as the Royals won, which means they can clinch a playoff spot with just one win in Atlanta this weekend.
The Rays took an early lead, but the Tigers clawed back and won to put themselves three games up on the Twins and Mariners.
The Mariners have an identical record to the Twins, but with the Royals and Tigers both having the tiebreaker over them, Seattle has been eliminated.
It might have been useful to the Mets if the Padres still had the division title to play for this weekend as they play the Diamondbacks, but the Dodgers beat San Diego to clinch the division last night at Dodger Stadium.
The A’s played their final game in Oakland, and the 46,889 fans in attendance sent the team off with cheers and angry chants. They also lined up afterwards to get some of the dirt from the stadium. Die-hard A’s fans are processing the sadness.
Jeff Passan summed up the end of the A’s in Oakland succinctly in a tweet that’s worth sharing here in full:
The Oakland A’s were killed by greed. Do not allow the people responsible for this to spin it any other way. John Fisher did not have to move this team. Major League Baseball and its owners did not need to be complicit in it. This was a choice. A wrong one. History will sneer.
Barry Zito sang the national anthem ahead of the game, and a 104 mile per hour fastball from Mason Miller was the final pitch thrown in Oakland.
While the White Sox have tied the ‘62 Mets’ record for losses, they completed a sweep of the Angels that gives them a chance of remaining tied for that record.
The Yankees clinched the AL East crown with a lopsided win over the Orioles.
The Brewers beat the Pirates in their series finale, but it’s worth noting that the Phillies have clinched the first-round bye over the Brewers.
The Cardinals fell to the Rockies in a high-scoring affair. Will there be changes in St. Louis after the team missed the postseason again?
Wander Franco will stand trial in the Dominican Republic on charges that he sexually abused a minor.
There’s all sorts of legal issues around the alleged theft of Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball in the outfield stand.
Here’s how baseball, with a twist, is bringing hope to Syrian refugees in France.
Starting pitching ain’t what it used to be in the postseason, but some starting pitchers still make a big impact in the playoffs.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
We took a look at the Mets’ potential paths to the postseason following the pair of postponed games in Atlanta.
This Date in Mets History
If you’re looking for a good omen going into the weekend, the 2000 Mets clinched their Wild Card spot on this date in—you guessed it—the year 2000.