The Mets and their $341 million payroll are one step closer to the postseason. But there's still a long way to go.
Behind a three-hit game from Brandon Nimmo and homers by Francisco Lindor and Brett Baty, New York defeated the Cubs 8-5 on Thursday night at Wrigley Field. The win improved the Mets' record to 82-77, good for a one-game lead over the Reds and a two-game cushion over the Diamondbacks in the NL wild-card race.
Before the win Thursday at the "Friendly Confines," Fangraphs gave the Mets a 64.5% chance to make the playoffs. Those odds increased to 78.1% after the win.
While the Mets control their own destiny, they can't be sitting comfortably heading into the final weekend of the regular season. Due to their intradivision record, the Mets would lose tiebreakers to both the Diamondbacks and Reds if they finish the 162-game schedule with the same record.
The Reds kept their playoff hopes alive Thursday, defeating the Pirates 2-1 thanks to Noelvi Marte's heroic home-run robbery in the ninth inning. Arizona lost its second straight game, an 8-0 defeat at the hands of the Dodgers.
The Mets close out their season this weekend with a three-game series against the Marlins, who were just officially eliminated from the playoffs on Thursday. The Reds, meanwhile, will battle the Brewers at American Family Field, and the Diamondbacks visit the Padres.
Unlike the American League, there isn't much drama heading into the final weekend of NL play aside from the final wild-card spot. The Brewers, Phillies and Dodgers have all clinched their respective divisions, and the Cubs and Padres have secured a spot in October with wild-card spots.
Here's how everything is looking in the National League heading into Friday's slate of games:
National League Playoff Picture
NL DIVISION LEADERS
NL WILD CARD
More MLB on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as How Mets’ Win Over Cubs Impacts NL Playoff Picture.
