Sometimes the team having the most fun triumphs over the more talented opponent in the MLB playoffs. The New York Mets, among the most electrifying clubs in baseball during the second half, are hoping to ride their good vibes into an unexpected playoff run.

It would be a familiar tale for a National League team to sneak into the postseason and make noise. The Philadelphia Phillies reached the World Series in 2022 as the sixth seed in the NL. The Arizona Diamondbacks repeated the feat after an 84-win regular season last year.

ESPN's Jesse Rogers says people in the sport believe the Mets have similarities to those pennant-winning D-backs.

“I spoke to a scout who was at Citi Field on Sunday night when the Mets beat the Phillies. The environment was electric. New York feels like it has the same mojo that propelled the Diamondbacks to the World Series last season,” Rogers said.

Arizona rode their arms and crowd to a pennant as an underdog. New York is cooking up the same formula thanks to an elite starting rotation & a fanbase rejuvenated by Grimace and a hit song from a utility infielder.

Mets facing tough challenge to reach playoffs

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run during the second inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field.
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The Mets are in the driver's seat for a playoff berth. The only thing standing in their way could be Mother Nature.

The Mets and Braves were set for two more clashes in Atlanta this week, but Hurricane Helene had other plans. Wednesday and Thursday's contests were postponed due to the storm and rescheduled as a doubleheader in Atlanta next Monday. The playoffs begin next Tuesday.

There's a chance those games don’t matter for the Mets, but a lot needs to happen for that to unfold. With a one-game lead over the Braves and five games left for both teams, the Mets could clinch a wild-card berth before Monday with one scenario.

New York has to sweep the Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta cannot win its three-game series over the Kansas City Royals. Both matchups should be fascinating, but the advantage likely goes to the Mets given their opponents standing.

The Brewers are locked in as the third seed in the National League meaning they don’t have anything to play for during that Mets series. Milwaukee will be professionals and won't just lie down to New York, but the Mets probably won’t get the Brewers' best arms as they look to rest a few key pitchers before Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Royals are locked into a battle with the Detroit Tigers for the second American League Wild Card position. Neither they nor the Braves will want to give anything up this weekend in what will likely be a playoff atmosphere in Atlanta.

As inconvenient as it is, the Mets have to take advantage of these two days off and gear up for five crucial games that will determine everything. They can save themselves the trouble of a grueling traditional doubleheader, but in all likelihood, their playoff hopes will come down to those two games in Atlanta on Monday.