The Atlanta Braves are now tied with the New York Mets in the NL East lead after Tuesday’s results.
It took them months to catch the Mets, but they finally did it on Tuesday.
The race, however, is far from over: the two teams still have a little less than a month of baseball to play, to decide who is going to the playoffs as the division winner.
Circumstances also dictate that more than just the division title is at stake.
Two teams in each league will have a first-round bye in the postseason: the Los Angeles Dodgers are likely to secure the first one.
The second and final bye week will likely go to the victor of the divisional battle between the Braves and Mets.
The Mets Didn’t Choke
It may sound like the Braves are extremely hot and the Mets pulled a “Mets” and choked, but that’s far from the case.
“By the way, this ain’t a Mets collapse. Braves started off slow, but they’ve been the best team in MLB for over 3 months. That’s what it took to catch the Mets. They’re both World Series contenders. The lead evaporating doesn’t change the fact that the Mets are also really good,” MLB personality Jared Carrabis tweeted.
By the way, this ain’t a Mets collapse. Braves started off slow, but they’ve been the best team in MLB for over 3 months. That’s what it took to catch the Mets. They’re both World Series contenders. The lead evaporating doesn’t change the fact that the Mets are also really good.
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) September 7, 2022
It’s an important thing to point out: the Mets have never been a bad team in any stretch of the season.
The Braves have just been better for a sustained period: they are the reigning World Series champions for a reason.
However, that doesn’t mean things can’t change.
Now that Max Scherzer is going to the injured list, the Braves may be the slight favorites to win the division, but don’t completely rule out the Mets: they are still an elite club.
NEXT: The Mets Are Collapsing Against Weak Competition