The NY Mets have clinched the National League East and will be heading to the playoffs for the first time in years and this team could be a scary one in the postseason. The Mets have a power pitching rotation with Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey and Noah Syndergaard along with Steven Matz, and they also have some power in the lineup with Yoenis Cespedes and Curtis Granderson.
The Mets have not been to the playoffs in nearly a decade and now they are heading in as division champions. The Mets took advantage of a disappointing Washington Nationals team and now they could be one of the favorites in the NL to make it to the World Series. Here's five reasons why the Mets are one team to watch in October:
The rotation is flat out nasty
The Mets in 2015 were built on young pitching and that group of players has performed up to expectations and perhaps beyond it this season. The Mets may have the best and deepest rotation in the playoffs among the AL and NL teams, as they could line up Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard with Steven Matz as another potential option. The Mets also have Bartolo Colon as an option and either Matz or Colon could pitch out of the bullpen if needed. The Dodgers may have a better one-two punch, but the Mets are the deepest.
Home field could play a part
The Mets have been much better at home at Citi Field than on the road this season, going 48-30 in Queens, but just 41-37 away. The size of Citi helps the Mets pitching and right now the team has a slight lead over the Dodgers for home field in the playoffs. The team are likely to match up and the Mets could have a big advantage if they end up at home.
The lineup has some power
Yoenis Cespedes has sparked the Mets since coming over at the trade deadline and this season he has compiled some great stats. Cespedes has 35 home runs and over 100 RBIs split between the AL and NL and since he has come to the Mets he has been powering the lineup. Curtis Granderson has 25 home runs and the return of David Wright also helps.
The bench has some depth too
The Mets have flexibility in the starting lineup and when they pull players off the bench, they have some depth there, which was a major issue earlier in the season. Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe can play multiple positions and both Wilmer Flores and Ruben Tejada have versatility as well.
It has been an "Amazin" year
The Mets have been one of the most exciting teams to watch through baseball this season and the fan base is starved for some October games. The team has the look and feel of the Royals last season (although this team won their division) and there is a special feeling in Queens about this club. The team could ride that feeling to some October success.