Does the drama of first-ever Phillies-Mets playoff series await? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Phillies and Mets have coexisted for 63 seasons without ever once meeting in the playoffs.
That will change with one more Mets win over the Brewers this week.
Despite the short turnaround of having to hop on a plane to Milwaukee Monday night after a doubleheader in Atlanta, the Mets won, 8-4, coming back from multiple two-run deficits.
The Mets have been on the road since September 22 when they finished off a series win over the Phillies at Citi Field. They flew that night to Atlanta, had two of three games postponed by Hurricane Helene, left for what would have been their final regular-season series in Milwaukee and lost two of three, flew back to Atlanta for the makeup doubleheader and then back to Milwaukee for the wild-card series.
Got all that?
It’s reminiscent, in a way, of the exceptionally long road path the Phillies took to end 2022, ending the regular season with a three-city trip to Chicago, Washington and Houston, then beginning the playoffs with four road games. The Phils were away from home from September 25 through October 12 that year but you wouldn’t have known it the way they ripped through the playoffs until the World Series.
Every team in this National League playoff field is dangerous, perhaps with the exception of the Braves, who have been ravaged by injuries, are running on fumes and lost their biggest remaining advantage with Chris Sale until or unless he’s able to return in the playoffs.
But the Mets, the Brewers, the Dodgers and Padres, they’re all capable of beating the Phillies, which should make for a challenging and exciting postseason.
Remember, though, it’s not as if the Phillies’ last two NLDS matchups looked like cakewalks leading in. The 2023 Braves won 104 games, then lost three of four to the Phillies and went home. The 2022 Braves won 101 games, then lost three of four to the Phillies and went home.
On one hand, the Phils have dominated a team the baseball world saw as superior two years in a row in the NLDS. On the other hand, it’s a reminder that anything can happen in a five-game series, rendering the previous five months meaningless other than the home-field advantage they provide.
The Phillies won the season series over the Mets, 7-6, with the Mets winning three of the final four. Zack Wheeler was on the losing end of a 2-1 decision to end the last meeting at Citi Field, Aaron Nola did not pitch in that…