One Weekend of Fate for the Mets

At this time 90 days ago, if you told me the New York Mets were not guaranteed a playoff spot by now, I would have laughed at you. The Mets were 48-34 on June 26, still in first place, albeit by only a half game. In my mind, the 2024 season proved that these were not the “same old Mets”; that narrative was buried. The momentum built from last year’s magical run was still fresh even as they were enduring their first real rough patch of the season. No way they were going to miss the playoffs, I thought.

In three days, I might be proven wrong.

As recently as a week ago, I wrote that I was still confident in New York clinching that final Wild Card berth. Now? The confidence is wavering. Though the team is still a game ahead of the Cincinnati Reds, the tiebreaker is not on the Mets’ side. It would behoove the club to sweep the Miami Marlins and not leave anything out of their hands. Easier said than done, considering the Marlins were eliminated from contention last night. There is nothing more the Fish would like to do than shut up the multitude of Mets’ fans that will invade Loan Depot Park this weekend.

So to the players of the New York Mets, what is it going to be? Will you rally and exhibit the sort of heart and guts that exemplified last year’s team? Or, does this weekend with perhaps the most disappointing Mets team of them all? Make no mistake, missing the playoffs will be much more catastrophic than the collapse of 2007. It will be far worse than “The Worst Team Money Can Buy of 1992. The Mets of 2025 would take the worst elements of both of those black marks in franchise history. It combines the collapse of 2007 with the payroll waste of 1992. I don’t think that’s an overstatement. Although I have a more passive rooting interest, I know I would be disgusted if this weekend ends without a champagne celebration. It would have to be the most disappointing Met outcome of my lifetime.

One weekend of fate. One weekend to determine if the New York Mets have buried their narrative of rotten luck once and for all. Win, and it’s sunshine for at least a week. Lose, and go down in infamy. Your choice.

Author: Tom Lynch

Family is everything to me. Baseball is a close second. What better way to combine my two favorite passions than to write about them! My three children each have a different baseball team, hence the title, "Three Unassisted". I write about not only my thoughts but also the musings of Ryan (Yankees), Caitlyn (Phillies) and Matthew (Mets). I may have grown up a Yankees fan but since family is greater than ball, I also root for the Phillies and Mets. I love talking about my kids. I love talking about baseball. That lethal combination will keep you coming back for more. Happy reading! View all posts by Tom Lynch