How the planned Mets-Braves doubleheader could negatively impact the entire NL wild card field

The collateral damage of the Great Rainout debacle could extend to the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres, two teams that hardly deserve to be disadvantaged.

If the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves have to play a doubleheader on Monday to determine one or two of the final postseason spots in the National League, it will put them at great risk in the wild-card series and force one or both clubs to eight games to be played in seven days.

But what if the doubleheader is only necessary for seeding and Commissioner Rob Manfred has the discretion to cancel it entirely? The Mets and Braves would end up playing 160 games instead of the 162 required by every other club. That hardly seems fair to the Brewers and Padres, as both are on the verge of securing home-field advantage for the best-of-three wild-card round.

Sowing is not as inconsequential as some might think. If one or both NL East teams receive wild cards, it could have a significant impact, both on travel and on home field advantage in subsequent rounds.

First of all, the flight from Atlanta to Milwaukee is shorter than the flight from Atlanta to San Diego. And remember two years ago when the fifth-seeded Padres faced the sixth-seeded Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship Series? The seeding determined home-field advantage, although the Phillies still won the series.

Manfred would have to look at the bigger picture and aim for the fairest result. If the Mets and Braves play two fewer games, that means their pitchers will have to throw 18 fewer innings and their hitters will have to play 18 fewer innings. A little thing? Perhaps. But as one Brewers employee, granted anonymity for his candor, put it: “It wouldn’t be fair. We should forfeit the last game and not use pitchers in Game 162.”

Brewers general manager Matt Arnold was more diplomatic, saying, “We're focused on controlling what we can control and not worrying about who we're playing or how they get there.”

Padres general manager AJ Preller did not respond to a request for comment.

Nothing has been decided yet. The situation is unique and perhaps unavoidable. As The athletic oneBritt Ghiroli wrote that the Mets and Braves acted out of self-interest in their scheduling decisions. However, neither club expected him to ever end up in this position. And while Major League Baseball could have been more proactive and forced teams to play earlier in the week, it not unreasonably raised hopes that the forecast could improve.

The Arizona Diamondbacks may face more immediate consequences than the Brewers and Padres. If just one of the Mets or Braves secures a wild card this weekend, that team could use mostly its reserves and low-leverage pitchers in the one or two games that would take place on Monday (it could be one if the outcome of the opening game). the race). The other team, if still competing with the Diamondbacks, would have an easier path to last place.

The Mets, Braves and Diamondbacks deserve limited sympathy – all three teams could have avoided this dilemma by winning more games. The same goes to some extent for the Brewers and Padres, who were stuck in the wild-card round because they didn't earn a bye in the first round.

However, the Brewers and Padres played well enough to gain home-field advantage in the Wild Card Series. And that advantage will be mitigated if the Mets and Braves don't play two games on Monday.

– The AthleteJayson Stark contributed to this story.

(Top photo of Pete Alonso, left, and Matt Olson: David J. Griffin / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)