Mets Seek Momentum Against Padres in Crucial Series

NEW YORK, NY — The New York Mets (77-73) are on a playoff mission as they prepare to host the San Diego Padres (82-68) at Citi Field starting Tuesday. This three-game series is crucial for both teams, as the Padres currently hold the second Wild Card spot, leaving the Mets eager to close the gap.

With only 12 games left in the season, the Mets are 1.5 games clear of the Arizona Diamondbacks, their nearest competition for a Wild Card spot. They need to focus on winning against the teams behind them, particularly since the Padres previously swept a series in San Diego earlier this year.

The Mets are coming off a challenging weekend where they lost two of three games to the Texas Rangers. The highlight of their weekend, however, was a dramatic walk-off victory on Sunday, fueled by a three-run homer from Pete Alonso, which finally broke an eight-game losing streak.

On the mound for the Mets will be Clay Holmes (11-8, 3.75 ERA) on Tuesday, who has struggled recently. He will be piggybacked by Sean Manaea, who has faced his share of troubles this season. Meanwhile, the Padres are set to counter with Michael King (4-2, 2.87 ERA), in what promises to be a competitive matchup.

The Padres enter the series after taking three of four games against the Colorado Rockies, but they’ve been inconsistent overall in September, going 6-7. Key players like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado are expected to lead San Diego’s offense, with Tatis having impressive stats this season including 30 stolen bases.

The Mets phase a genuine opportunity with a favorable remaining schedule, including series against the last-place Washington Nationals and a crucial encounter with the Cubs, who lead the Wild Card race. There’s little room for error as manager Carlos Mendoza emphasizes the importance of every game in their pursuit of October baseball.

Game time for the series opener is set for 7:10 PM EST on Tuesday, and New York fans are hopeful that their team can gain invaluable momentum against the playoff-bound Padres.