September 12, 2024
Bill Streicher/USA Today Sports
Will the Phillies shimmy their way closer to the NL East crown after a weekend set with the Mets?
Get ready to revisit an old rivalry.
For the past three seasons, the Phillies and Braves have gotten all the headlines — and for good reason. Atlanta, the winner of the last six National League East titles, has clashed with the Phillies in each of the past two postseasons. Philadelphia has prevailed both times, delivering some of the most iconic moments in franchise history in a pair of NL Division Series victories. The Phillies and Braves have made for must-watch television and one of the best rivalries in the sport.
Now, although it’s been on the backburner of late, a classic Philadelphia-New York faceoff will have some serious juice this weekend. The Phillies, surging in September, are once again the team to beat in the NL East for the first time in over a decade as they prepare for a pivotal matchup against the New York Mets. And while Phillies-Mets is no longer the premier rivalry that it was in the late 2000s and early 2010s, the upcoming meetings between the two clubs hold real implications for the division and entire National League playoff picture.
New York is set to visit the Phillies on Friday for the start of a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park to kick off seven games between the two teams in a span of 10 days. They’ll play again in a four-game series starting next Thursday at Citi Field. These September meetings could help the Phillies wrap up the NL East, influence where the Mets fall in the Wild Card race or, in a less likely scenario, allow New York to pull off an improbable divisional comeback.
Fresh off a sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays, the Phillies (88-58) have an eight game lead over the second-place Mets in the NL East. Their magic number to win the division is nine, and they are 4-2 against the Mets this season. If they can take care of business across their seven remaining games against New York, the NL East is all but finished, leaving a first-round bye in the postseason as the last box to check.
The Mets (80-66) are returning stateside after winning a three-game set in Toronto, their fifth series win in a row as they’ve ripped off 11 wins in their last 13 games. They defeated the Blue Jays with a ninth-inning rally on Wednesday as Francisco Lindor broke an eight-inning no-hit bid on a game-tying home run in the final frame.
Led by an MVP candidate at shortstop in Lindor, the red-hot Mets have completely rebounded from their lackluster early goings. Since falling to 11 games under .500 on June 2, they are 56-31 with a run differential of +100. They have not just infiltrated the National League playoff race; they’ve looked like a team that could be dangerous come October.
Despite missing top starting pitcher Kodai Senga for nearly the entire season, New York sits in sole possession of the third NL Wild Card spot, a full game ahead of the Braves. The Mets are in a favorable position with veterans Luis Severino (10-6, 3.74 ERA) and Sean Manaea (11-5, 3.35) revitalizing their careers and anchoring the pitching staff. It’s been a remarkable turnaround, just a year after they decided to trade veteran aces Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander and take a step back last summer.
There’s still a slim chance for the Mets to catch up to the Phillies, and sweeping these two series against them would likely be New York’s last hope. More realistically, the Mets could really use a strong showing against Philadelphia to stay ahead of the Braves in the Wild Card standings. After their four-game home series against the Phillies next week, the Mets will travel to Atlanta for three games starting Tuesday, Sept. 24. That series could decide the third Wild Card spot, as long as the Mets can stay afloat against the Phillies.
On the other hand, Philadelphia has an opportunity to put the NL East away for the first time since 2011 in the coming weeks, and the schedule is set so the bulk of the damage could come against the Mets. The Phillies-Mets rivalry was in full force as the Phils took home five consecutive NL East crowns from 2007 to 2011, but the teams have often not been competitive at the same time in the seasons since.
This year is bringing the teams together at a time when they are both talented, performing at a high level and playing for postseason berths. It should provide some intensity from the players and fan bases alike.
The Phillies should have some extra reinforcement coming for the opener of this first upcoming series. Slugger Kyle Schwarber and catcher J.T. Realmuto, two banged up regulars, should be ready to play for Philadelphia on Friday.
Right-hander Aaron Nola is set to start the first game for the Phillies, left-hander Kolby Allard appears ready to be called up for Saturday’s start and lefty Cristopher Sánchez will take the mound on Sunday. Jose Quintana and Severino are lined up to pitch the first two games for New York with David Peterson reportedly getting the nod on Sunday.
With an eight-game lead and 16 games left in the regular season — which doesn’t have quite the same ring as seven back with 17 to play — the Phillies are certainly in the driver’s seat. But both the Phillies and Mets still have something to prove and even more to clinch. Their impending NL East showdowns shouldn’t disappoint.
Follow Ty Daubert on Twitter/X: @TyDaubert
