The Philadelphia Phillies won Game 2 of their National League Division Series against the New York Mets. The NL East rivals are now tied at one game apiece, and the series will move to Citi Field, home of the Mets. Games 3 and 4 will be played in Queens, as a possible Game 5 will be played back in Philadelphia. Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper discussed his team's impending trip for the next two games of the postseason matchup with reporters after the victory.
“I imagine it's gonna be pretty hostile there and a lot of fun,” remarked Harper to the media, including SNY. “Really looking forward to that.”
It will almost certainly be a hostile crowd for the Phillies, as the Mets are one of the franchise's biggest rivals. Yet, each team has gone a considerable amount of time since they've won a World Series. Philadelphia last won the title in 2008, beating the Tampa Bay Rays. Meanwhile, the Mets haven't won since 1986, almost 40 years ago. So, it's safe to say that each team might be due a World Series victory. Unfortunately, they will have to go through one another to do just that. For the winner, a date with the San Diego Padres or Los Angeles Dodgers awaits in the National League Championship Series.
Phillies, Mets set to square off in Game 3 of NLDS tilt
From the start, fans knew this would be an intriguing matchup. Three of the four division series being played across the majors right now include division rivals playing each other. That includes this one, the Dodgers/Padres matchup, and the Detroit Tigers/Cleveland Guardians series in the AL. The ALCS could feature two division rivals if the Kansas City Royals are victorious in their tilt against the New York Yankees.
The Phillies captured the season series, 7-6, over the Mets. Yet, New York won three out of four games in the final series the two teams had towards the end of September. That series was also in New York, in front of the Mets' faithful. Will those games play a role in the upcoming matchup? It's possible, as it's likely fresh on both teams' minds. The postseason is always a different animal though, and sometimes, whatever happened in the regular season can be thrown out the window.
With Game 3 looming on Tuesday evening, it is now a best of three for these longtime rivals. Will the Harper and the Phillies make it back to the World Series for the first time since 2022? Or will it be the Mets' first trip back since their loss to the Royals in the 2015 Fall Classic? As the postseason unfolds, one thing is certain for both of these teams, and the rest of their postseason counterparts: nothing is certain during October baseball.