Mets keep wild-card hopes alive with two weeks left
New York is unlikely to win the NL East or reach 90 wins, but remains one of four teams vying for the NL’s third wild‑card spot as the regular season winds down.
The New York Mets will not win the NL East or reach 90 victories this season, but their path to a National League wild‑card berth remains open with two weeks left in the regular season.
With 14 days remaining and the postseason bracket tightening, four teams were listed as legitimate contenders for the NL’s third wild‑card spot as of Monday afternoon. The team that secures that spot would most likely face the Los Angeles Dodgers in a best‑of‑three wild‑card series in Los Angeles beginning Sept. 30.
The Mets entered Monday at 77‑73, a mark that keeps them in the mix but leaves little margin for error. Analysts and models, including those from FanGraphs, have factored in odds and remaining strength of schedule when projecting outcomes and playoff probabilities for the teams still alive in the race.
New York’s immediate focus is earning one of the NL wild‑card slots rather than chasing the division crown or a high win total. With so few games left, every series and matchup will carry outsized importance, and the Mets will need to maximize production from their rotation and bullpen while contending with opponents that also have playoff hopes.
Beat coverage of the club has been intensified as the stretch run approaches. Mets beat reporter Mike Puma has provided frequent updates and inside reporting through Sports+ text messages, tracking roster moves, performance trends and clubhouse developments as the club navigates the final days of the regular season.
The postseason picture will sharpen over the next week as teams jockey for position and remaining schedules play out. For the Mets, the immediate task is to sustain a push over the closing slate of games to ensure they are among the teams invited to the wild‑card tournament. If they qualify, they would most likely travel to Los Angeles for a short series that could determine the club’s playoff fate.
With little time left to change course, New York’s stretch run will be judged on consistency, health and the ability to win close games against opponents also fighting for postseason berths. The upcoming days will determine whether the Mets convert opportunity into a postseason ticket or fall short as the regular season concludes.