A few days ago on this very site after the Mets lost the opener of their 4 game set at Citi against the Phils I wrote they needed to go 8-3 in their next 11 contests to make the 10 last games of the season mean something to their playoff hopes.
Since then they have gone 3-2 meaning that on their 6 game road trip in Buffalo versus the Jays and then in Philly this team really needs to win 5 of 6 which would put them at 500 going into the final 10 games of the season. That is a tall order but totally necessary and I will tell you why.
We can assume that the Mes will finish no higher than third in the division with either the Phils or Marlins earning that 2nd place automatic playoff spot in the division. What that means in the wild card fracas is the Mets would need to finish ahead of either the Giants or Marlins to get that last playoff berth. Currently, they sit 2 games behind Miami and 3 games behind the Giants.
In addition, they would need to pass the Reds, Brewers, and Rockies in that wild card logjam, Currently they lead the Reds but trail the Rockies and Brewers by half a game. It is without question a steep hill to climb but doable if the Met lineup continues to hit the long ball as it has in past few starts and provided the Mets could get respectable starting pitcher efforts in the non deGrom/Lugo starts.
The good thing about this 6 game trip is that in half of the games deGrom and Lugo will start with the 2 time Cy Young Award winner being assured of 2 starts including the Friday night encounter with the Jays to open the trip. Luis Rojas has to approach EVERY game on this trip as a Game 7 and not really concern himself about the next day until that day arrives.
They will definitely need help from the out of town scoreboard but as Jacob deGrom always says worry about the things you CAN control. By the end of this trip, if they are at or close to 500 the last 10 games of the season–6 at home vs Braves & Rays and 4 on the road to close the season in DC versus the Nats–can really bring a playoff spot into focus.
But first things first–get to 500–and you can only do that by putting games in the win column on this upcoming road trip