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Mets vs. Braves score: New York, Atlanta clinch final spots in MLB playoffs with D-backs left out

Monday's wild doubleheader ended in a split

The New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves are heading to the 2024 MLB playoffs. The NL East rivals split a wild doubleheader Monday that earned each of them a postseason berth and left the Arizona Diamondbacks to start their offseason earlier than planned. 

The Mets pulled off an 8-7 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 1, scoring six runs in the eighth, blowing the lead by allowing four runs in the bottom of the inning and then scoring two more in the ninth as Francisco Lindor hit a game-winning, two-run home run. The win clinches a playoff spot for the Mets, who are back in the postseason for the second time in three years.

The Braves had a much easier win in Game 2, cruising to a 3-0 victory on run-scoring singles by Gio Urshela and Marcell Ozuna, but not without some drama: scheduled starter Chris Sale was scratched with back spasms barely half an hour before first pitch. It's unclear what his availability will be for the Wild Card Series and beyond. After Reynaldo Lopez came out of the bullpen in relief Monday, the Braves' rotation has a lot of question marks right now.

Thanks to the doubleheader split, the Braves take the NL's No. 5 seed and will head west to play the Padres. The Mets, the No. 6 seed, are going back to Milwaukee to play the Brewers.

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Live updates
 

Ohtani now 0-2 as well

He grounded out to second in his second at-bat. If the Padres pull Arraez from the game right now, Ohtani would need to go 4 for 4 the rest of today to pass him in batting average. Looking less and less likely Ohtani will get the batting title and Triple Crown.

 

Arraez now 0-2

He lined out to center in his second at-bat. That bumps him down to .313. Ohtani is at .310 after grounding out in his first at-bat.

 

D-backs down 1-0

Elias Diaz doubled down the line for the Padres.

Arizona will not automatically be eliminated with a loss, though their path to the postseason gets really, really tough.

 

Braves down 3-0 early

Michael Massey with a three-run shot against Chuck Morton three batters into the game:

Atlanta can clinch a spot with a win or a D-backs loss today. Taking care of business themselves just got a little more difficult.

 

Mets take an early 1-0 lead

Francisco Lindor walked, stole second, then scored on Brandon Nimmo's single.

The Mets need a win and a D-backs loss to clinch a postseason berth. They can not be eliminated today, worst case is they're playing for their season tomorrow in Atlanta, but they'd rather not do that.

 

Arraez and Ohtani

Luis Arraez and Shohei Ohtani both made outs in their first at-bats of the game. Arraez remains four points up in the loss column. Even one out severely hurts Ohtani's chances at a Triple Crown.

 

Welcome to Game 162

Except for the Braves and Mets, that is. We've got a few weather delays already (Astros-Guardians in Cleveland and Pirates-Yankees in New York), which is a pain. Here are the most important games today:

-- Royals at Braves (Braves clinch a wild-card spot with a win)
-- Mets at Brewers (Mets need a win and a Diamondbacks loss to clinch)
-- Padres at D-backs (D-backs need a win and losses by the Braves and Mets to clinch)

What we're also watching today: Shohei Ohtani's pursuit of Luis Arraez and the NL batting title (and Triple Crown), and also José Ramírez chasing 40-40. He needs one home run to get there.

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