Wild Card Race Thread: Braves, D-Backs, Padres In Action

Down the stretch they come. The Mets (76-64) have won seven straight and are a season-high 12 games over .500, but still find themselves outside of a playoff spot. By the narrowest of margins. A game in the loss column separates them from the Atlanta Braves (76-63).

Jesse Winker (grand slam) and the bullpen (five pitchers combined for five scoreless innings) shined in the 8-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox Wednesday. Oh, and MVP candidate Francisco Lindor extended his hitting streak to 15 games and his on-base streak to 33 and continued to play gold-glove-caliber defense. 

Entering Thursday, the NL Wild Card standings look like this:

• San Diego 80-61 +3
• Arizona 79-61 +2.5
• Atlanta 76-63 —
• New York 76-64 0.5

The Mets will take a well-deserved day off Thursday (maybe hit up a back-to-school sale or watch opening night of some other sport) before hosting Cincinnati (67-73) this weekend.

The three playoff hopefuls above the Mets in the standings are in action. A reminder that the Mets hold the tiebreaker with the Padres and Diamondbacks.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (79-61) @ SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (68-72)
RHP Merrill Kelly (4-0, 4.30) vs. LHP Blake Snell (2-3, 3.56)
Thur., Sept. 5, 2024 •3:45 p.m. ET • Oracle Park • San Francisco, Calif

Arizona finishes up a series at San Francisco (68-72) before heading to Houston (75-64) for the weekend. The Diamondbacks, who, like the Padres, were one game over .500 at the break, have surged in the second half. Perhaps good news for the Mets, the NL West rivals battle in Phoenix Sept. 27-29, the final weekend of the regular season. Someone has to lose at least two out of three.

COLORADO ROCKIES (51-89) vs. ATLANTA BRAVES (76-63)
LHP Austin Gomber (4-10, 4.69) vs. RHP Reynaldo López (8-4, 2.00)
September 5, 2024 • 7:20 p.m. • Truist Park • Atlanta, GA 

Atlanta hosts Colorado (51-89) before welcoming the Blue Jays (67-74) to Truist Park for three games this weekend. After the Rockies tilt, the Mets and Braves will have 22 games to go. A three-game set between the clubs in Atlanta with six to play from Sept. 24-26 looms.

Detroit Tigers (70-70) at San Diego Padres (80-61)
Thursday September 5, 2024 • Petco Park, San Diego, CA • 8:40 p.m. ET
RHP Casey Mize (2-6, 4.36) vs. LHP Martin Pérez (4-5, 4.71)

San Diego hosts Detroit (70-70) before a weekend series at home with San Francisco (68-72). The Padres have won three in a row and are a season-high 19 games over .500 after going into the All-Star break at 50-49.

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