Phil Maton and the Three Keys for the Mets to Make the World Series

Phil Maton and the Mets' Path to the World Series

The Mets are set to play Game 1 of the NLCS tonight, the first game of a best-of-seven series that could see them advance to the World Series for the first time since 2015. Let’s take a quick look at three keys to them winning the National League pennant and advancing beyond this series.

Key Player: Francisco Lindor

When the Mets’ postseason began, we covered Francisco Lindor’s crucial role in getting the team there thanks to his outstanding, MVP-caliber performance in the regular season. Having recovered from back soreness that kept him out of action for a big stretch in late September, Lindor is playing just as well as—if not better than—he did before the playoffs. Lindor’s massive home runs in the dramatic playoff clincher in Atlanta and Game 4 of the NLDS stand out as two of the most iconic moments in franchise history. And he played a very important role in setting up Pete Alonso’s equally-iconic home run in Milwaukee, as he worked a walk to lead off an inning that began with the Mets down by two runs and just three outs to play with. On top of that, Lindor has continued to play superb defense at shortstop. Several times in these playoffs, he’s made plays to record one or two outs, making them look much easier than they actually were along the way. The Mets will need contributions from players up and down the lineup to advance, too, but Lindor is unquestionably the team’s MVP. And he’s locked in and keeping his eyes on the World Series prize. There aren’t many players you’d rather have playing for your team in a league championship series than him.

Utilizing the Starting Pitching Staff

The Mets won’t use all six of the starting pitchers they’re carrying on their roster as starters, but they will almost certainly use all six pitchers for portions of these games, especially if the series runs a little longer. Sean Manaea, Jose Quintana, and Luis Severino figure to serve as traditional starters. Kodai Senga will likely go longer than he did in his NLDS Game 1 start against the Phillies, and either David Peterson or Tylor Megill should pair with him to bridge the gap to the team’s relief arms. The Mets aren’t the first team to use starters in unconventional roles, but it does feel relatively rare to see a team carry this many starters—and to feel pretty good about the way all of them might be used.

Optimizing the Bullpen's Performance

If the first two keys here feel pretty likely to happen, well, this one might be a bit more of a roll of the dice. Overworked to an extreme extent over the final days of the regular season and in the Wild Card round, the Mets’ bullpen has been a bit less reliable lately than it had been in the second half of the regular season. With three days off between the NLDS and NLCS, though, you’d hope to see a return to form for their best high-leverage relievers. Edwin Díaz, José Butto, and Phil Maton are all likely better than what they’ve looked like so far in these playoffs. Ryne Stanek and Reed Garrett have been legitimately good in the postseason thus far. The Mets don’t necessarily need all five of those bullpen arms to be outstanding at the same time, but if they could get into a rhythm where they trust more than one or two of them in a big spot, that shore up some of the innings that have felt the shakiest in the first two rounds of these playoffs.