New York Mets second baseman Jose Iglesias. Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

Mets look to avenge series sweep from 2022

By Andrew Wright | Last updated Sep 24, 2024 1:08 PM ET

In the final week of the MLB regular season, no series is bigger than a three-game set beginning Tuesday between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves.

After Arizona's loss Monday night, the Mets (87-69) are the second wild-card team and hold a two-game lead over the Braves in the wild-card race. Fortunately for Atlanta (85-71), which aims to return to the postseason for the seventh straight season, it has experience trailing the Mets in a playoff race at the end of the season.

In 2022, the Mets played at Atlanta with less than a week remaining in the season, holding a one-game lead in the race for the NL East. Over the next three days, Atlanta swept the Mets, reclaiming first, and won the division three days later.

What. A. Night!#ForTheA pic.twitter.com/RdqcbCLda9
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) October 3, 2022

Now, two years later, the Mets will look to turn the tables in Atlanta and eliminate it from postseason contention with a sweep.

The teams have played each other 10 times this season, with each side winning five games. The split in the season-series record makes this matchup even more important, as the winner of this week's series will win the season series and hold the tiebreaker at the end of the season.

Winning or even sweeping the series will not be easy for the Mets, who remain without star shortstop Francisco Lindor (back injury). Plus, the Mets must face the three best pitchers in Atlanta's rotation: Spencer Schwellenbach (7-7, 3.61 ERA), Chris Sale (18-3 2.38 ERA) and Max Fried (10-10 3.42 ERA).

New York has dealt with adversity all season, notably losing expected ace Kodai Senga for nearly the entire season because of injuries. The Mets have also lost relievers Brooks Raley and Drew Smith and veteran second baseman Jeff McNeil for the season with injuries.

Despite this adversity, several Mets have filled the voids exceptionally well, including veteran middle infielder Jose Iglesias and rookie Luisangel Acuna, the younger brother of Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr.

Iglesias has played spectacularly since his call-up at the end of May. Acuna was recently brought up to make his MLB debut after the injury to Lindor. He's also a bright spot.

Since the moment Francisco Lindor exited with a back injury two Fridays ago in Philadelphia, the Mets' middle-infield tandem of Jose Iglesias and Luisangel Acuña has gone 27-for-64 (.422) with four homers, four doubles, a triple, 14 runs scored and 8 RBI.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) September 22, 2024

For the Mets, this is a chance to avenge a series sweep two seasons ago that cost them a first-round bye in the postseason.

If the Mets, who have won seven of their past 10 games, stay hot and sweep Atlanta, they will put themselves in a prime position to make a deep postseason run.

Andrew Wright

Andrew "Dew" Wright graduated from Charleston Southern University with a degree in Communication Studies. He is a lifelong Chicago Cubs and Washington Commanders fan.

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