The New York Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the NLDS to move onto the NLCS. Francisco Lindor hit a grand slam in the sixth inning to propel his team to victory. It's the second clutch home run the shortstop has hit since the end of the regular season. Outfielder Harrison Bader spoke with Jon Heyman of the New York Post about Lindor's greatness.

“He’s poised. He is a cold dude. He is the coldest dude I’ve ever been around,” The Mets' outfielder said. “He’s colder than this champagne, baby.”

Bader has played with his fair share of superstars, including a season with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton with the Yankees. Neither of them had a moment like this, as Lindor lifted a sputtering offense to a massive win. The Mets are four wins away from their first pennant since 2015 because of Lindor and Pete Alonso's heroics.

The playoff began two games early for the Mets and Braves, as they played a doubleheader to earn playoff spots after the season ended. Lindor hit a massive home run in the first game to clinch the playoff spot. Then, in a win-or-go-home Game 3 against the Brewers, Alonso hit a massive home run to win the game. Now, another homer from Lindor has them in the NLCS.

Mets ride miracle run to National League Championship Series

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) celebrates in the clubhouse after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in game four of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field.
Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Mets started the season 0-5 and looked to be on their way to a putrid season. After a disappointing 2023, they did not make any big additions to improve the team. Owner Steve Cohen was rumored to be holding out for Juan Soto, who could still cross the river to Queen this off-season. If he does, he'll be joining the best story of the 2024 season.

The Mets sputtered into June, entering their June 12 game at 29-37. They were 16.5 games back of the Phillies, 10 games back of the Braves, and the third-worst team in the National League. That day, McDonald's mascot Grimace threw out the first pitch. Since then, they are the best team in baseball. The purple monster has become a rallying cry for the fans and a new mascot for this run.

There have been many miracle runs throughout the Mets' history. Whether it's 1969, 1973, 1986, 2015, or any other number of seasons, there are great Septembers that turn into magical Octobers. They also have a history of collapsing down the stretch, like 2022 and failing to meet expectations. This year falls into the first category and could be their sixth pennant in franchise history.