Braves and the Mets: Who Wins the East?

Get Ready for October baseball, Mets fans.

The Mets are headed to the postseason! So, what’s next?

With October only a few days away, the Mets are looking to solidify their spot at number one in the National League East, with the Atlanta Braves tailing right behind them.

The Mets have spent nearly every day of the season in first place, much of that time with a considerable lead keeping their competitors behind them. Now, with only two weeks left in the regular season, the Mets only hold a one-game lead ahead of the Braves. But does this really have cause for concern? The Mets don’t seem to think so.

“Every team is a little weary of this time of year—mentally emotionally, physically—you got to keep going, keep going, knowing there’s a pot of gold down the road,” said manager Buck Showalter.

While the Braves only being one game back may not be an ideal scenario, the Mets have proven that they know how to handle the pressure of being in a tough position.

Just last week the Mets came off of an unfortunate series with the Cubs and battled back to sweep the Pirates at Citi Field. Right after hosting Pittsburgh, the Mets traveled to Milwaukee on Monday where they clinched their playoff spot in a victory against the Brewers.

While clinching a spot in the postseason is a victory within itself, the Mets are more interested in what's next. With the end of the season so close, the Mets are looking to take the crown of the NL East.

With the amazing individual successes of several of the Mets, there is an incredible amount of confidence that Mets fans should feel going into the final stretch of the regular season.

From Max Scherzer’s 200th win on Monday to Nimmo’s game-saving catch against the Dodgers, there is obviously greatness amongst this team. The Mets will be out, guns blazing to finish off the rest of the season after receiving such a boost in morale from clinching a playoff spot, their first since 2016.

The final match between the two teams will take place in Atlanta, which will almost certainly decide the team that takes the division. Both the Mets and the Braves have proven to be impressive competitors, with Atlanta staying hot in second place.

Having had a “subdued” celebration, Mets owner Steve Cohen weighed in on the next steps. “It’s a first step. When we go further, there will be bigger celebrations.”

For Mets fans, October is finally getting exciting again. With the postseason already promised, and a fired-up team that has so much to prove, there is a lot to be excited about. The Mets are finally on the path of proving their legitimacy as an elite team and one that can seriously compete in the playoffs.