ATLANTA — In their biggest series of the year, a matchup which would essentially decide the National League East winner in the waning days of the regular season, the Mets had two big reasons to be confident: Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer.
Two of the best pitchers in baseball, deGrom and Scherzer have a combined five Cy Young Awards and 12 All-Star selections. And even though both have dealt with injuries this season, they have plowed through opposing lineups with relative ease. A sweep of Atlanta in the three-game set would have clinched the Mets’ first division title since 2015 and earn them the luxury of a first-round bye in the postseason, which begins later this week.