Ahead of the ultimate early-season litmus test, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza expressed confidence in his club.
After back-to-back wins in St. Louis this week evened their record at 18-18, the Mets return to the East Coast for a seven-game gauntlet against two National League juggernauts in the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies.
The demanding stretch against NL East rivals begins Friday night, when the Mets kick off a three-game series against the Braves (22-12) at Citi Field. They’re then scheduled to host the Phillies (26-12) for two games on Monday and Tuesday before traveling to Philly for two more games on Wednesday and Thursday.