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 had a bye and have been in Philadelphia all week waiting on an opponent. They have played intrasquad games. Now the NL East foes are set for a huge series in their first-ever meeting in a postseason series.
You can find the full 2024 MLB playoff bracket here. And here is the NLDS schedule:
| Date | Start time/result | TV | |
|---|---|---|---|
Game 1 | Sat., Oct. 5 | 4:08 p.m. ET | Fox |
Game 2 | Sun., Oct. 6 | 4:08 p.m. ET | FS1 |
Game 3 | Tues., Oct. 8 | TBA | Fox |
| Game 4 (if necessary) | Weds., Oct. 9 | TBA | Fox |
| Game 5 (if necessary) | Fri., Oct. 11 | TBA | Fox |
Where to watch Game 1
Date: Saturday, Oct. 5 | Time: 4:08 p.m. ET
Location: Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia)
TV channel/live stream: Fox, Fubo (Try for free)
Probable pitchers: RHP Zack Wheeler (16-7, 2.57 ERA) vs. TBA
Odds: PHI -190, NYM +158, O/U: 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 heading into 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. A X-factor could be Spencer Turnbull. He hasn't pitched since June 26, but he's rehabbed his lat strain and might rejoin the club for this series.
Mets: It'll be interesting to see how the Mets line up their pitching for this series. Luis Severino went on Tuesday, so he'll be on normal rest for Game 2, which means Sean Manaea in Game 3 is the other easy call. David Peterson threw eight pitches in relief to save Game 3 of the Wild Card Series, so maybe he starts Game 1? Otherwise it would be Tylor Megill, who threw in the first doubleheader game in Atlanta on Monday.
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.