The 2024 MLB regular season is set to end on a bizarre note.
The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets are the lone teams with games left on their schedule ahead of the playoffs. The two squads will face off Monday in a doubleheader to replace a couple of rained-out games from earlier this week.
The doubleheader carries massive stakes. Both teams enter Monday with an 88-72 record and need at least one win to secure one of the two remaining NL Wild Card slots.
One other NL team, the Arizona Diamondbacks, also has its playoff fate entangled in Monday’s results.
The reigning NL pennant winners finished with an 89-73 record. If all three of the Mets, Braves, and Diamondbacks end in a three-way tie, Arizona becomes the odd man out due to tiebreaker rules. If either of the Braves or Mets lose both games on Monday, that team would be eliminated and the Diamondbacks would get the final Wild Card spot.
The unusual situation has several fans on X giving the Braves and Mets the proverbial side eye. Might the two teams collude to split the doubleheader and secure their playoff berths?
The Braves & Mets discussing splitting tomorrow’s doubleheader so they both make the playoffs pic.twitter.com/LyMiCMEKzv
— Trent (@Trenciarte) September 29, 2024
It is incredibly funny to me that the most helpful scenario for both the Mets and Braves tomorrow is that each team forfeits a game each. Mets stay in Milwaukee, Braves head to SD tonight, both teams save arms
— ramsey (@jwr020819) September 29, 2024
the mets and braves celebrating on the field together tomorrow after splitting the doubleheader pic.twitter.com/wk12TCVboZ
— steph (@whutyearisit) September 29, 2024
Some fans also found an opportunity to pile on the league-worst Chicago White Sox amid all the Mets-Braves drama.
possible outcomes of the braves mets double header tomorrow pic.twitter.com/FiipoHgkXr
— Jay Cuda (@JayCuda) September 30, 2024
Conspiracy or not, it’s probably going to be tough for the Diamondbacks to snag that final postseason spot.
Whoever wins the first game of the Mets-Braves doubleheader would more than likely trot out a Triple-A lineup and pitching staff for the second contest.
With the Wild Card round beginning one day later, there’s no reason for the winning team to risk injury or burn any of their better pitchers.
But with the Mets and Braves being bitter NL East rivals, eliminating the other may motivate either side to complete the sweep.
