For about a month, the focus for the New York Mets in terms of likely ways into the playoffs has been on a crowded National League wild-card race.
This weekend if things go right, the Mets can make a small dent in the NL East race and they will get three chances to gain ground starting Friday when they host the Atlanta Braves for the opener of a three-game series.
The Mets (67-60) are a major league-best 27-10 since the All-Star break and trail the Braves by nine games in the division. They are 1 1/2 games behind in the wild-card race after extending their winning streak to five games and improving to 13-1 in their last 14 home games with a 2-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday night.