It seemed improbable four months ago that the New York Mets would ever be surging toward the playoffs. It's even more improbable now that they're doing it without their superstar.
After taking three of four games from the first-place Philadelphia Phillies, the Mets are two games ahead of the Atlanta Braves for the final National League Wild Card spot. They won six of their seven contests this week, and they did it all without their team's most valuable player.
Shortstop Francisco Lindor has not played since Sept. 15, nursing a mysterious lower back injury that neither he nor the Mets have given a public diagnosis.