If the Mets are going to make the playoffs, they will likely need to fix the things that went wrong in the two losses over the weekend to Washington. (They will also, of course, need the Reds to lose at least once.)

New York committed four errors in the defeats, went 4-for-21 with runners in scoring position and manager Carlos Mendoza didn’t show the urgency you’d expect in a tight playoff race. The decision to pull Edwin Díaz on Saturday after he threw seven pitches was head-scratching. These games should be managed like the season is on the line. Because it is.

Let’s have a look at the pitching matchups in the most critical series of the year for the three teams within a game of each other with six to play. (We had to make some assumptions for some teams based on rotation order as team probables aren’t updated as of publishing.)

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Mets (80-76) at Cubs (88-68)

The Mets are 31-44 on the road and the Cubs are 46-29 at home. New York beat Chicago in two out of three games in May.

LHP David Peterson (9-6, 3.98 ERA) vs. RHP Cade Horton (11-4, 2.66 ERA)

Horton is hot and Peterson is not. Both pitchers have thrown 58 1/3 innings since the All-Star Game, which Peterson pitched in. The Cubs rookie has given up six earned runs (0.93 ERA) and the Met lefty has surrendered 37 (5.71 ERA).

RHP Jonah Tong (2-2, 5.94 ERA) vs. LHP Matthew Boyd (13-8, 3.20 ERA)

In Tong’s last time out, he struck out eight and allowed one unearned run over five innings. The start before that he didn’t make it through the first inning. Growing pains should be expected with rookies. The trouble is this is not the best week to be learning on the job.

RHP Brandon Sproat (0-1, 3.94 ERA) vs. LHP Shota Imanaga (9-7, 3.37 ERA)

Sproat has struck out 15 and walked six in his 16 innings pitched. Imanaga faced the Mets twice in his rookie year last season. He threw seven shutout innings the first time and coughed up 10 earned runs in three innings the second.

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Mets at Marlins (76-80)

I know, it’s the final weekend of the season and the Mets will likely need to beat the Marlins to go to the playoffs. Miami will probably have Dan Uggla throw out the first pitch. The Mets and Marlins have split 10 games. It could be reasonable to expect Kodai Senga back with the team at some point during this series, too.

RHP Nolan McLean (4-1, 1.27 ERA) vs. RHP Sandy Alcantara (10-12, 5.48 ERA)

McLean has gone at least six innings in four of his seven starts and hasn’t given up more than two earned runs in any of them. Alcantara has beat the Mets twice this year, giving up three runs over 12 innings. (McLean is 7 1/3 innings away from

LHP Sean Manaea (2-4, 5.59 ERA) vs. RHP Eury Pérez (7-5, 4.20 ERA)

Manaea may be the starter, but this could be another piggyback game with Clay Holmes (11-8, 3.69 ERA). The Mets knocked Pérez out in the first inning when they faced him in Tong’s MLB debut last month.

LHP Peterson vs. RHP Edward Cabrera (7-7, 3.57 ERA)

These two faced each other last month and neither pitched well. Peterson gave up eight runs in two innings and Cabrera gave up five in four. The Marlins won 11-8.

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Pirates (67-89) at Reds (80-76)

The Reds have won five in a row to put themselves in the driver’s seat since they hold the tiebreaker over the Mets. Cincinnati’s last playoff appearance was in 2020 and they haven’t won a playoff game since 2012. The Pirates swept the Dodgers to open September, then dropped 12 of 13 before shutting out the Athletics in their last two games. The Reds have won six of 10 vs. the Pirates this year.

Reds at Brewers (95-62)

The Brewers lead the Phillies by 2 1/2 games for the No. 1 seed and home field throughout the playoffs. Milwaukee may have that clinched by Friday so it’s TBD on whether they will have something to play for. Would the Brewers prefer seeing the Reds make the field over the Mets? Vice versa? The Brewers have won seven of 10 vs. Cincinnati.

Friday: RHP Zack Littell (10-8, 3.86 ERA) vs. RHP Jacob Misiorowski (5-3, 4.38 ERA)
Saturday: LHP Andrew Abbott (9-7, 2.80 ERA) vs. RHP Chad Patrick (3-8, 3.66 ERA)
Sunday: RHP Singer vs. TBD—expect Hunter Greene to be available, too, if the Reds’ season is on the line

Dodgers (88-68) at Diamondbacks (79-77)

The Dodgers have clinched a playoff spot, but not the division so they have something to play for. Los Angeles could also still earn a bye though they are four games back of the Phillies so it’s a long shot. Arizona finished with the same 89-73 record as the Mets and Braves last season, but missed the playoffs because of tiebreakers. Here they are again. The Dbacks don’t hold tiebreakers with either the Mets or Reds. They’re a game behind both to start the week, so two losses could tank their chances.

The Dodgers and Diamondbacks have split 10 games this year.

Diamondbacks at Padres (86-71)

The Padres could change their rotation to prepare for a likely playoff matchup with the Cubs, but these are the probables right now. The teams have split 10 games.