October has actually gotten here, and with it comes the excitement of postseason baseball. As the very first pitch techniques, these stories set the phase for what guarantees to be an electrifying National League postseason.
Hangover or momentum for Braves and Mets?
Monday's historical doubleheader left the baseball world buzzing. The Mets clinched an awesome success in the opener, while the Braves protected their postseason berth in the nightcap, leaving the Diamondbacks as the odd group out.
Both groups cleared their benches throughout 18 grueling innings. Now, they deal with a sixty-four-thousand-dollar question: Can they harness this momentum like in 2015's Rangers, or will tiredness hinder their champion goals?
The Mets and Brewers start the action at 5:30 p.m. ET, while the Braves and Padres top the night at 8:30 p.m. ET.
These opening video games might set the tone for each group's whole postseason journey.
Will bad back hinder Mets' star shortstop?
Francisco Lindor has actually been handling a back injury that's kept him out of the lineup for numerous video games considering that Sept. 22. In spite of this, the shortstop, who's had an MVP-caliber season (.273/.344/.500 with 33 HR, 91 RBI, 29 taken bases), came through in significant style on Monday.
He struck a game-winning two-run homer, offering the Mets an 8-7 ninth-inning lead that clinched their postseason area.
Lindor is plainly laboring in the field, if he can play like he did for many of 2024– and provide more minutes like Monday's– the Mets have a battling opportunity. Without him, it's going to be an uphill struggle.
Braves lose their ace
Mentioning bad backs, pitcher Chris Sale was scratched from his Monday start with back convulsions in a stunning advancement. Supervisor Brian Snitker validated the Cy Young frontrunner will likely miss out on the wild-card series versus San Diego.
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 15, 2024
Sale's lack is a terrible blow for Atlanta. The 35-year-old led the majors in ERA (2.38) and wins (18) while pacing the NL with 225 strikeouts.
Stearns goes back to Milwaukee
David Stearns, the designer of Milwaukee's current success, now leads the Mets into fight versus his previous club. Stearns changed the Brewers into seasonal competitors, reaching the postseason in 5 of the last 6 years.
Now, equipped with MLB's greatest payroll, he intends to reproduce that success in New York.
The Mets might have hardly squeezed into the playoffs, however their $200 million payroll benefit over Milwaukee features championship-or-bust expectations.
Padres' motivating run
The late Peter Seidler's imagine bringing a champion to San Diego survives on through this resistant Padres team.
Seidler bought the group in 2012 and ended up being the managing owner in November 2020, charming himself to fans with strong monetary dedications. After his passing in November 2023 and the subsequent Juan Soto trade, San Diego's outlook appeared grim.
