Manager Carlos Mendoza saw this coming.
A Mets seven-game winning streak, tying their season high Wednesday evening at Citi Field with an 8-3 win and sweep of the Red Sox. Three games as the Mets are showing they are serious and vying for a NL third wildcard or more.
The Mets have always said they were serious contenders and you have to believe they are. With 22 games remaining, they remain a half game behind the Braves for that final wild card. The Mets believe they are where they have to be after their three game sweep and 11th of the season.
“It feels good, but there’s a lot of games left, there’s a lot of good teams in the race,” Mendoza said when asked about his team playing meaningful pennant baseball in September. “We’re doing a lot of good things, and we need to continue to do that in order to get where we need to get.”
The Braves are one of those teams also playing meaningful baseball, a team that put an end to postseason hopes for the Mets just a few years ago during the final games of the season.
That was then and this is now. The Mets final week featuring three games at the Braves is developing to be that crucial series of who gets the final wild card, then again there are seven games remaining with the first-place Phillies. But the Mets handled business with the Padres and Diamondbacks, teams 2½ games ahead of the Mets as the top two NL wild cards.
So what is different this time as the Mets get a well deserved day off and host the Reds for three this weekend at Citi Field?
The Mets were a season low 11 games under 500 on June 2 (24-35) and they always believed they were better. Since then, 52-29 is the best record and hottest team in baseball. Attribute a part of this success to Francisco Lindor and Jesse Winker, who has become a fan favorite, who set the tone with his fifth career grand slam in the first inning that gave the Mets a 4-0 lead. Winker is batting .306 in 31 games with the Mets and .324 in 23 starts since coming over from the Washington Nationals at the trade deadline.
“I feel like every game I’ve been here has had a playoff vibe to it because they’re so meaningful to us as a team.” he said. “It’s incredible. The energy in our stadium every night is unmatched. You just want to do your part. You just want to help any way you can.”
He is helping the Mets score runs. All eight of the Mets’ RBI came with the bases loaded, the fourth time that has been accomplished in franchise history. Though in the bottom of the eighth they managed to get four runs on three bases loaded walks as the Red Sox bullpen imploded.
“It’s a good feeling,” said Lindor. “Whenever you step outside, it’s getting a little colder. It gets dark a little earlier”
The bat of Lindor continues to get chants of “MVP-MVP” at Citi Field. Lindor has a legitimate cause to be considered for NL MVP honors, the emphasis though is continuing his hot streak and guiding the Mets to the postseason.
His single in the first inning extended his on-base streak to 33 games and hitting streak to 15. The streak includes 16 multi-hit games in his last 31 dating back to August 3, and 20 extra base hits since August 1 are most in the NL.
With every win the manager says it’s a team effort. And down the stretch that is exactly what the Mets are about. Mark Vientos (2-for-4) has become a major contributor and bonafide Major League hitter. If catcher Francisco Alvarez finds his potent swing that only leads to more runs.
Mendoza has been pushing the right buttons, even a bullpen that had become an albatross has been better. After starter Tylor Megill gave up a leadoff hit in the fifth, he used five relievers out of the pen including closer Edwin Diaz who walked one and struck out two in the ninth.
Up and down the roster the Mets are contributing. They are serious during this streak and the clubhouse mood is all about this push to playing more baseball in October. They finished last year with that dismal 75-87 record and got their 76th win Wednesday night.
Citi Field was buzzing with every Lindor at-bat. And Winker has become that fan favorite with Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo. Question is, will the Mets continue this streak during this important final 22 games?
“We were struggling a bit early, but no one was ever down,” Megill said. “They show up each and every day, just ready to go win a ballgame.”
And that is what this is about for the Mets. Continue winning ballgames and get to that series with the Braves and who would have envisioned this is May? They are serious and pushing for that final NL wild card and possibly more.
Rich Mancuso: X (Twitter) @Ring786 Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso