The New York Mets have been on quite the roller coaster ride this week.
It started with their doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves on Monday, which was initially scheduled to be the lone day off between the regular season and postseason. But after the Mets and Braves had two games postponed due to thunderstorms and Hurricane Helene, the two division rivals were forced to duke it out for the last two NL Wild Card spots.
Both teams clinched playoff berths after splitting the two contests, launching them straight into the NL Wild Card Series.
While the Atlanta Braves got swept by the San Diego Padres, the Mets are still alive. They won Game 1 against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday, then blew a late lead and dropped Game 2 on Wednesday.
That set up a winner-takes-all Game 3 between New York and Milwaukee, scheduled to get underway at 7:08 p.m. ET on Thursday.
Dating back to last weekend, the Mets will have played eight games in seven days, all of which have had, at the very least, massive playoff implications. The last five, especially, have been critical in determining the shape of the National League playoff bracket.
According to OptaSTATS, the Mets will become the first team in MLB history to play five games in a four-day span, with at least three of those games being postseason games.
Through all the drama thus far – featuring multiple comeback wins – the Mets have managed to avoid using veteran starting pitcher José Quintana. The 35-year-old left-hander, who hasn’t pitched since Sept. 28, is slated to take the mound to start Game 3 on Thursday night.
Quintana gave up two earned runs in 4.1 innings his last time out, which happened to be against the Brewers, racking up nine strikeouts along the way. He enters the do-or-die contest averaging just shy of 6.0 innings pitched per start this season, and New York’s well-worn bullpen would surely appreciate it if Quintana lasted that long on Thursday.
Danny Young and Max Kranick are the only Mets relievers who come into Thursday completely fresh, while struggling closer Edwin Díaz has yet to pitch since blowing a save against the Braves on Monday.
It remains to be seen if the Mets’ legs will finally give out on Thursday, or if they will advance to the NLDS and pick up a much-earned rest day on Friday.
