With an impressive 7-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday, the Mets are in the playoffs.
Max Scherzer returned from the injured list and threw six innings of no-hit ball, striking out nine. Scherzer threw 68 pitches, 47 for strikes, and didn’t allow a base runner during his time on the mound.
After the game, the champagne was flowing in the Mets locker room, at American Family Field, in a, somewhat, subdued manner. The Mets took time to celebrate their accomplishment, however, they know the job’s also not done.
“It’s a mature group that revels, stays in the moment,” first-year Mets manager Buck Showalter said.
“This is what you play the game for. You play the game to go to the postseason,” Scherzer said. “We have a lot of things in front of us and we understand that. But, man, you’ve got to celebrate the good times, too.”
The three-time Cy Young Award winner picked up his 200th career win Monday.
With 13 games remaining on the regular season schedule, the Mets are one game ahead of the Atlanta Braves in the National League East division.
“This is just the first step. I have high expectations,” owner Steven Cohen, wearing a Mets cap, said after giving a postgame speech to the team. “If we can win the division, that would be great. Obviously, Atlanta is a great team, and it will probably go down to the wire, and then we’ll see what happens in the playoffs. I think this is a team that can go really far.”
The last time the Mets were in the postseason, they lost to the San Francisco Giants in the 2016 NL Wild Card game.
With one champagne campaign in the books, the Mets now set their sights on clinching their first division title since 2015.
Anthony Rushing is on Twitter @TonyRushingNY
Baseline Sports NY is on Twitter @Baseline_NY
