Sep 28, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Jackson Chourio (11) steals second base as New York Mets shortstop Luisangel Acuna (2) gets the ball in the first inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
It’s at least a simple concept for the New York Mets: If they win their remaining three games, they’ll earn a wild card spot in the National League.
But the Mets have lost three games in a row, and on Sunday afternoon they will face the Milwaukee Brewers, who have won the first two games of their home series against New York.
Six Milwaukee pitchers combined for two hits Saturday night for a 6-0 victory. Joey Ortiz drove in three runs for the Brewers (93-68), champions of the National League Central Division, who clinched third place and will host a wild-card series that begins Tuesday. Milwaukee won Saturday despite striking out 18 times.
The loss left the Mets (87-72) one game behind the Atlanta Braves for the second NL wild card spot and in a tie with Arizona (88-73) for the final spot. The Braves (88-71) defeated the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night, while Arizona lost to the San Diego Padres.
After finishing the series in Milwaukee on Sunday, the Mets will play a make-up doubleheader on Monday in Atlanta. The Mets have the tiebreaker against Arizona.
“Not having won in the last few days is putting us in a difficult situation,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Saturday night. “But we have to come back tomorrow and we have to win the game tomorrow. That’s the bottom line. And then see where we are at the end of the day tomorrow and then go to Atlanta and see what we have.”
On Sunday the Mets will start left-hander David Peterson (9-3, 3.08 ERA), who will face right-hander Colin Rea (12-5, 4.17).
Peterson is 2-2 with a 3.14 ERA in his last seven starts. After going 3-0 with a 1.86 ERA in six starts in August, he is 1-2 with a 4.15 ERA in three starts this month.
Peterson last started on September 20, allowing five runs (four earned) and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings in a 12-2 loss to the Phillies.
He is 1-1 with a 6.14 ERA in four career games against Milwaukee, including three starts.
Milwaukee is expected to be without starting right fielder Sal Frelick, who left Friday’s game with a hip injury when he collided with the wall along the right field line. The Brewers hope he will be ready for Tuesday’s first wild-card game.
“No one has ruled (Frelick) out,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Saturday. “The fact that he can’t walk on his own makes it less likely. It’s discouraging. It’s less likely to happen anytime soon. We’re going to take it slow and not make a roster decision until it’s absolutely necessary.”
Rea, one of the Brewers’ most consistent starters for most of the season, has struggled down the stretch. He is 0-1 with an 8.44 ERA in five appearances this month, including three starts. Much of that came from allowing 10 runs in four innings in a 13-2 loss at San Francisco on September 11.
He hasn’t allowed a run in four innings in his two relief appearances this month.
Rea is 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA in three career starts against New York, including a win this season when he allowed one run in five innings in a 4-1 victory on March 31.
Milwaukee has won seven straight games against the Mets, including a 5-0 record this season, and 12 of the last 13 meetings.
–Field level media
