NY Mets pay tribute to Jacob deGrom before he returns to Citi Field mound
As Jacob deGrom made his first start back at Citi Field since leaving the Mets, the club played a video tribute on Sept. 12, 2025.
NEW YORK — As the Mets made a massive slide down the second half of the season, the club could always fall back on the fact that it had built enough of a cushion in the National League standings.
But the Mets’ latest eight-game losing streak brought the unthinkable idea that they might not make the playoffs at all into focus.
At 78-74, they entered Thursday’s action with a 1.5-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks for the final National League Wild Card spot, with the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants lurking at two games back.
After finishing this three-game series with the San Diego Padres, the Mets complete their home slate with a three games against the Washington Nationals this weekend at Citi Field. Then, they finish their season with three games in Chicago against the Cubs and and three games in Miami against the Marlins.
A season ago, the tiebreaker came into effect for the final two playoff spots as the Atlanta Braves, Mets and Diamondbacks all finished with 89-73 records. The Mets got in by virtue by winning their regular-season series with the Dbacks.
With a seeming four-horse race for the final National League Wild Card spot, here is where the Mets stand in each of their tiebreakers with the teams chasing them:
Mets or Diamondbacks: Who holds NL wild card tiebreaker?
The first of Major League Baseball’s tiebreakers is simple. The team that won the season series claims the playoff spot.
But in the case of the Mets and Diamondbacks, the two teams split the season series 3-3. The Mets lost two out of three at home against the Dbacks, while taking two out of three in Phoenix.
The second tiebreaker is intradivision record. The Diamondbacks currently hold a slight edge here with a 25-21 record against their NL West foes while the Mets own a 23-23 record in the NL East. The Mets still have their series against the Nationals and Marlins, while the Diamondbacks have a home series with the Dodgers and finish with three games against the Padres.
That makes the Mets’ final six NL East games of utmost importance.
The third tiebreaker, if it comes to it, is intraleague record. The Mets hold a slight edge with a 54-50 against the NL, compared to the Diamondbacks’ 52-53 mark. The next tiebreaker is the last half of intraleague games, but we’ll cross that bridge if we get there.
Mets or SF Giants: Who holds NL wild card tiebreaker?
The Mets own the tiebreaker over the Giants after winning four out of six games against them this season.
A late July sweep, which included Jose Butto claiming the final win against his current team, could loom large over the Mets’ playoff hopes.
Mets or Reds: Who holds NL wild card tiebreaker?
The Reds are the team that the Mets do not want to see on their same line on the standings when the season concludes.
After splitting their first four matchups between Flushing and Cincinnati, the Reds grabbed the final two games of the teams’ series at Great American Ball Park to claim the season series. Those two losses also kicked off the Mets’ turbulent eight-game skid.