This next week and change will either be one of the most fun and memorable stretches of the baseball season for Philadelphia Phillies fans or an agonizing, prolonged stretch of frustration. The Phils will face the New York Mets seven times in their next 10 games, starting with a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park this weekend. Every single game will have meaning as each team pursues the postseason.
Phillies vs Mets series preview
After this series, the Phillies and Mets will each have a three-game series against other National League opponents and then meet at Citi Field for a four-game set. The Phillies, who are in a tug-of-war with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the league’s top record, want the division title. Their magic number is nine. The Mets, current owners of the last Wild Card spot, want to fortify their ticket to the playoffs. Postseason vibes should permeate throughout this series and make for some beautifully tense, competitive baseball.
In a season with a thousand twists and turns — one so turbulent and bizarre that the Hawk Tuah girl throwing out a first pitch probably doesn’t even crack the top 10 in the ranking of oddities — the Mets have managed to hang on and win. They have passed the Atlanta Braves in the NL East standings and trail the Phillies by 8.0 games. Somehow, they’re not only alive in the playoff hunt, they’re firmly in the pack.
First pitches are scheduled for 6:40 P.M. on Friday, 4:05 P.M. on Saturday and 1:35 P.M. on Sunday. Against one of their very biggest rivals, the Phillies have a great chance to set themselves up for a division-clinching win in their next few series.
Probable starting pitchers
Aaron Nola and Jose Quintana will kick the series off on Friday night. The Phillies’ righty had a stinker in his last start but has still been very productive this season, entering his next start with a 3.41 ERA. His last start against the Mets was a complete game shutout in May. Quintana has allowed just one run over his last three starts but has otherwise been decent to the tune of a 4.09 ERA in 2024.
On Saturday, Kolby Allard is projected to start for the Phillies opposite Luis Severino. Allard, who has a 3.50 ERA in 18.0 innings in MLB this season, will have the important job of trying not to allow a handful of runs to the opponent right away. Meanwhile, Severino, who leads the Mets with 166.0 innings, has allowed one run or fewer over at least five innings in four of his last five starts.
The series will conclude with Cristopher Sanchez and David Peterson starting for their respective teams. Sanchez began the Phils’ sweep over the Tampa Bay Rays with a shutdown performance and will now be called on to help his team end on a high note. Peterson has a 2.98 ERA, though his FIP of 4.00 indicates that he’s been getting a bit lucky. He’s not a high-end strikeout artist, so the Phillies could jump on him easily as they potentially go for the series win.
Matchup to watch: Francisco Lindor vs. Bryce Harper
Should Francisco Lindor be a leading candidate for the NL MVP award, racing neck-and-neck with Shohei Ohtani? You can answer that either way. Being so good on offense and defense surely gives him a case but Ohtani’s unbelievable offensive season could make him the first player to win MVP while playing exclusively at designated hitter. What shouldn’t be up for debate, though, is that the Phillies have to keep Lindor at bay to have the best shot at winning.
Lindor is in the midst of the best season of his wonderful career, sporting a career-best 135 OPS+ while providing his typical two-way excellence. He’s the biggest threat in New York’s lineup, a well-rounded threat at the plate who is also a strong base stealer and has come up big in key spots repeatedly. Mark Vientos, whose .537 slugging percentage is elite, is also a danger to watch out for. Pete Alonso and J.D. Martinez provide more pop. Still, it’s the superstar shortstop that Philly has to watch out for.
While Lindor is the frontman for the Mets, the Phillies’ lead slugger will also be called on to lead them.
This series would be the perfect time for Bryce Harper to break out of his dinger drought. It’s been over a month — 122 plate appearances across 29 games — since he last hit a home run. He’s still managing a respectable .850 OPS since his last homer, driven by his .397 on-base percentage, but the Phils need him to hit for power, especially with Kyle Schwarber nursing a sore elbow.
Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto are expected to be available for the start of the series, giving the Phillies their A-team (outside of Alec Bohm) against the Mets. If they take care of business over the next few series, the Phils could win their first division title since 2011, potentially with enough breathing room to rest their starters at the end of the season. And they could do this by cooking up a beloved delicacy across the Delaware Valley: Mets losses.
Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
