We’ve reached that point of the MLB season where a good deal of fans can no longer say they have a dog in the fight.
Entering play Wednesday, seven teams have officially been eliminated from postseason contention, and a handful of others are bound to join them soon.
If you’re a Chicago White Sox fan who has been relentlessly tortured for the past six months or a supporter of the Toronto Blue Jays who just simply realizes the end is near, chances are you’re looking for a new team to back come playoff time.
Go ahead and choose the New York Mets.
While New York is not yet guaranteed a spot in the postseason, it is well on its way to a wild-card berth. The Mets drilled the Washington Nationals 10-1 on Tuesday night for their 14th win in 18 games, keeping them level with the Arizona Diamondbacks at 83-68.
Arizona and New York are clinging to the last two wild cards in the NL, with both clubs sitting two games above the Atlanta Braves.
So, why root for the Mets?
To put it lightly, New York has been dragged through hell and back over the past decade. Just ask any Mets fan you know… if they’ve been brave enough to disclose that information publicly.
From blowing a 10 1/2-game lead in the NL East over the final four-plus months of the 2022 season to having owner Steven Cohen put his money in the wrong places, New York has had its fair share of misfortune, turmoil and adversity.
And oh yeah, there was that World Series loss back in 2015, something that certainly hasn’t been forgotten considering all the Mets have since then is a pair of exits in the wild-card round.
But that right there is what makes New York so relatable.
I think, to some degree, we all feel like the past 10 years have beaten us down. We’ve probably all been put in situations where it feels like the world around us is crumbling, like everything is going wrong.
Hopefully you’ve come to realize that there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel, though. Even if you haven’t found it yet.
For the Mets, this season could very well be that light.
Let’s not get too deep into philosophical thought here. After all, we’re talking about a team that relied on the powers of Grimace, a fictional character who is a good friend of Ronald McDonald himself, for most of its success in the month of June.
Grimace threw out the ceremonial first pitch ahead of a meeting with the Miami Marlins on June 12. New York won that game, igniting a 14-4 run. Where have we seen that before? That’s right—it’s identical to the Mets’ current 18-game stretch. Coincidence? I think not, especially considering New York unveiled a purple seat at Citi Field on Monday as an ode to Grimace.
Across town, you have the clean-shaven New York Yankees, who are all business and on the prowl for a 28th title. Then there’s the Mets: just happy to be playing meaningful baseball in mid-September and using that as an opportunity to promote a 10-foot fast food icon any chance they get.
I know who I’m pushing for.