This past week for the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies was a study in contrast before their NLDS bout begins on Saturday.
The Mets needed to win one game in a doubleheader in Atlanta on Monday. They did, advancing to the Wild Card Series against the Brewers in Milwaukee, meaning they flew from Atlanta to Milwaukee to Atlanta to Milwaukee in less than a week. They won Game 1, blew Game 2 in the eighth inning and then stormed back in the ninth inning to steal Game 3 on Thursday. The Phillies, on the other hand, had a bye and have been in Philadelphia all week waiting on an opponent.
In the first-ever postseason meeting of the NL East foes, the Mets came out victorious after a wild eighth-inning comeback that saw them score five runs after being shut out by Zack Wheeler until then. In Game 2, the teams traded home runs before Nick Castellanos secured a walk-off win for the Phillies to tie the series.
Check out the complete 2024 MLB playoff schedule. And here is the NLDS schedule:
| Date | Start time/result | TV | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Game 1 |
Sat., Oct. 5 |
Mets 6, Phillies 2 |
Fox, Fubo (Try for free) |
|
Game 2 |
Sun., Oct. 6 |
Phillies 7, Mets 6 |
FS1, Fubo (Try for free) |
|
Game 3 |
Tues., Oct. 8 |
5:08 p.m. ET |
FS1, Fubo (Try for free) |
| Game 4 (if necessary) | Weds., Oct. 9 | 5:08 p.m. ET | FS1, Fubo (Try for free) |
| Game 5 (if necessary) | Fri., Oct. 11 | 4:08 p.m. ET | FS1, Fubo (Try for free) |
Where to watch Game 3
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 8 | Time: 5:08 p.m. ET
Location: Citi Field (New York)
TV channel/live stream: FS1, Fubo (Try for free)
Probable pitchers: LHP Sean Manaea (12-6, 3.47 ERA) vs. RHP Aaron Nola (14-8, 3.57 ERA)
Odds: PHI -115, NYM -105, over/under: 7.5
The Phillies won the season series, 7-6, outscoring the Mets 69-59. They last played in New York Sept. 19-22, though, and the Mets won three of four.
Here’s what you need to know about each team in the NLDS:
Phillies: They ended the season with the second-best record in baseball at 95-67, their best regular season since 2011. It was driven by a monster first half, though, as the Phillies were 33-33 after the All-Star break and went 10-11 in their last 21 games. They do have the personnel necessary to flip the proverbial switch, though, as they have four All-Star-caliber starting pitchers, a loaded offense and strong bullpen.
Mets: The 2024 Mets just won’t quit. For seemingly a week, the club has been up against the wall and every time they’ve found a way to win. Though the Mets finished six games behind the Phillies in the East, remember that they had the best record in baseball once the calendar turned to June. They’ve gone 65-40 in the regular season and 2-1 in the playoffs since the start of that month. At this point, the offense has a swagger about it and they can never be counted out.
