For the second time in as many years, the New York Mets are headed to the postseason.
By virtue of Saturday’s 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, the Mets clinched a wild-card berth a week after the Washington Nationals celebrated their National League East title.
With the game’s final out in hand, the Mets celebrated on the mound at Citizens Bank Park before they hit the locker room for some champagne showers:
MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo documented the scene in the clubhouse:
DiComo also captured footage of the team celebrating with its fans in Philadelphia:
Following an eight-year playoff drought, the Mets have now joined the postseason party in consecutive years for the first time since 2000.
Though New York’s vaunted pitching staff was dogged by injuries all season—Matt Harvey had season-ending surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, Steven Matz has endured elbow and shoulder ailments and Jacob deGrom underwent season-ending elbow surgery—New York has a shot to defend its National League pennant.
Following a 15-7 start in April, the Mets went 26-30 in May and June before they started to right the ship. After going 13-13 in July and 15-14 in August, they notched 17 wins in 27 September games.
New York also overcame inconsistencies on offense to return to the postseason, as it ranks 12th among the 15 NL clubs with a collective .245 batting average. The only teams with worse marks are the Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres.
With Noah Syndergaard headlining a pitching staff that ranks third in the NL in team ERA and starters’ ERA, the Mets look like they may be able to pull off the improbable and return to the World Series. But it will be tough to best the Nationals, Chicago Cubs or Los Angeles Dodgers.
And first they’ll have to get by the San Francisco Giants or St. Louis Cardinals in the Wild Card Game.
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