With less than two weeks to go until the end of the 2025 MLB season, the Mets are still fighting for the last wild card spot in the National League. After snapping a painful eight-game losing streak, the team goes into its final 12 games with the goal of winning so as not to depend on anyone else.
The race for the third wild card is red hot, with San Diego consolidating its grip on the second spot and with the Phillies already crowned East champions, the Mets have several teams breathing down their necks, such as the Diamondbacks, Reds and Giants a couple of games behind, which could lead to a frenetic end to the season with multiple tie scenarios.
How are ties resolved in MLB and what options do the Mets have?
MLB eliminated the famous “Game 163” since the expansion of playoff games. Now, tiebreakers are resolved by statistical criteria: first by the record between the teams involved, then by performance against divisional opponents, and beyond that, by their record against other National League divisions.
In head-to-head matchups, the Mets fare well against the Giants (4-2), but not against the Reds (2-4). Against the Diamondbacks, the duel is tied 3-3, so the next tiebreaker (record within the division) could be key. Currently, Arizona has an advantage in that regard, although it still has tough games remaining against the Dodgers and Padres. The Mets, on the other hand, will face more manageable teams such as the Marlins and Nationals.
In the event of multiple ties between three or four teams, the situation becomes more complicated. Cincinnati dominates in the combined head-to-head matchups and would win most scenarios, so the Mets need to avoid these group ties, as in most cases they would be eliminated.
What do the Mets need to do to get into the postseason without relying on calculations?
The formula is simple, though not easy, because they need to win. If New York manages to win the four series it has left, it would reach 85 victories, which would force its closest rivals to be almost perfect to match them. This would drastically reduce the odds of a tiebreaker, which clearly does not favor the Queens team.
Each remaining game becomes a kind of final for the Mets, who despite an inconsistent regular season, still have the opportunity to sneak into the postseason, but depending on their performance over the next two weeks.
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