The “what may need been” collection begins tonight, with a pair of 2021 Nationwide League All-Stars taking the mound, Zack Wheeler for the Phillies and Taijuan Walker for the Mets. 

The objective over the subsequent three video games? Every staff needs to keep away from including to its lengthy checklist of “How the hell did we lose that sport?” debacles in 2021 and declare the “Hey, perhaps we may nonetheless salvage one thing!” award. With solely about two-and-a-half weeks left within the common season, although, it’s most likely extra of a battle for the bragging rights of having the ability to say, “At the very least these guys have been eradicated earlier than we have been.” 

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The Phillies are 2 1/2 again of the second wild card, with the Reds between them and the ticket to October, and three video games again within the NL East behind the Braves. The Mets are 5 and 5 1/2 again, respectively. These won’t appear to be insurmountable deficits, given somewhat assist with some losses by the groups forward of them. In spite of everything, the Cardinals simply made up 3 1/2 video games within the wild card standings — gaining on each the Reds and Padres — in an eight-game stretch. The Blue Jays simply made up 4 1/2 video games within the AL wild card standings in 15 September contests. 

Right here’s the piece of data that most likely is related, although: The Mets are three video games beneath .500 for the season — 11 beneath .500 within the second half — and the Phillies are a mere two video games over for the 12 months, however simply 6-8 in September. Fairly actually, it’s a miracle they’re even nonetheless within the October dialog. In 2015, for instance, the Diamondbacks completed 4 video games again of .500 (one worse than the Mets now) they usually completed 13 video games out within the division and 18 video games out of a wild card spot.

However with all of the mediocrity within the NL — after the superb Giants, Brewers and Dodgers, in fact — alternative nonetheless exists. There simply isn’t a lot proof to assist the hope for followers of the Mets or Phillies that their favourite squad has a robust push to the end left within the tank. What there may be loads of on either side, although, is remorse. 

For each squads, the season is stuffed with gut-punch losses and inexplicable defeats. We aren’t going to compile a complete checklist — who wants all that negativity? — however we’ll give somewhat snapshot, to present you an concept if you happen to haven’t been paying shut consideration.

Mets malaise 

The Mets began in a really Mets manner. Ace Jacob deGrom made 5 begins in April, permitting simply two earned runs and compiling a 0.51 ERA, however the Mets someway misplaced three — THREE!!! — of these 5 video games. Within the season opener, the membership had a 2-0 lead when deGrom exited, however wound up shedding 5-3. Within the different two, they have been shut out. 

On July 7, Tylor Megill pitched six shutout innings in Pittsburgh, and the Mets had a 6-0 lead heading into the eighth. The Pirates scored 5 within the eighth and received the sport on a walk-off grand slam within the ninth. Oh, and this most up-to-date collection, at house in opposition to the Cardinals — one of many groups they’re chasing within the wild card race — will stick of their craw. The Mets have been coming off an emotional collection win in opposition to the Yankees — punctuated by Francisco Lindor’s three-homer sport — after they have been swept by St. Louis, outscored 25-10 within the three video games. 

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Phillies phumbles

You just about have to begin with the MLB-worst 32 blown saves, proper? Even if you happen to take it right down to the MLB common of twenty-two blown saves, these 10 shoulda-been-wins push them manner forward of Atlanta within the NL East race. The Braves, by the way in which, have 23 blown saves on the season.

There are two second-half collection particularly that Phillies followers are nonetheless shaking their heads about. The primary one was in Arizona, Aug. 17-19, in opposition to a Diamondbacks staff that has the worst document — and the worst ERA — within the NL. The Phillies, although, scored simply six runs, complete, and have been swept. And a latest collection at house in opposition to the Rockies was simply as brutal. Other than that four-game set, the Rockies are simply 20-50 on the highway this season, however they managed to win three of the 4 video games in Philadelphia. The primary one was particularly, robust; the Phillies had a 2-1 lead with two outs within the prime of the ninth inning and nearer Ian Kennedy was forward of Ryan McMahon, 0-2. 

McMahon, although, blasted a house run to place the Rockies forward 3-2, and Sam Hilliard adopted with a solo house run to present Colorado a two-run lead in a sport they’d win 4-3.

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So, yeah, a number of remorse in New York and Philadelphia. 

For the Mets, they beautiful a lot have to brush the Phillies to have any exterior hope of attending to October. The Phillies, with their finest starters lined up for this collection and Bryce Harper making an MVP cost, ought to nonetheless not less than be within the image so long as they’re not swept. Let’s see what occurs.