A Philadelphia sports insider provides insight into the scary Mets opponent

They are age-old rivals, cellmates of the Division since its inception, their contempt fueled by equal parts familiarity and proximity, their parks only 116.5 miles apart, and each is full of emotionally charged, die-hard supporters.

So far, the Mets and Phillies have only been summer opponents, strangers in October. But by the end of the week, they could very well be the new Yankees vs. Red Sox.

It's #OMG versus #STFU.

Grimace against the Phanatic.

The Hot vs. The Got.

The Mets may be dreaming now, high on the Milwaukee Miracle, but reality is looming in Philadelphia.

The Phillies are not the Brewers.

They are a team that exploded from the start and, despite a brief slump in July, secured the NL East title and the second-best record in baseball, narrowly surpassed by the Dodgers.

Artfully assembled by renowned architect Dave Dombrowski, the team has proven its worth in October, having been to the World Series two years ago and only falling short on its return trip last year, losing in seven games to Arizona in the NLCS.

They have a number of bashers, a strong rotation and an even better bullpen.

They embrace the bright lights and are obsessed with rings after being so close for the past two years.

Don't let the fact that the Mets only lost the season series 7-6 fool you.

Three of the Mets wins came against Phillies gas can No. 5 starters and you don't need a fifth starter in October.

“On paper it’s a complete mismatch,” said one NL scout. “The Mets have no chance.”

This week we'll find out if magic is real. Let me introduce you to the Phightin' Phillies:

The Brutes on Broad Street

The Phils are built to bash, throwing haymakers from the top of the lineup with lefty Hulkster Kyle Schwarber, the counterpart to the traditional leadoff hitter.

Once a topic of debate, even the purists can't complain about clogged bases, as the club has found success with its first spirit tier, The Schwarbomb, setting a major league record with 15 leadoff home runs this season, the latest to come in September. 21 on an 0-1 sinker by Mets left-hander Sean Manaea.

In fact, Schwarber is 83-36 with a home run in a game since joining the Phils in 2022.

After a disappointing 2023 season, runner-up Trea Turner got closer to his MVP form this season, but still had an incredibly mixed performance.

Sandwiched between Schwarber and superstar Bryce Harper, Turner's lethal combination of speed and pop is a key to navigating this lineup.

Harper has hit 30 bombs this season despite an extended blackout from August 10 to September 13 in which he went 30 games without a home run.

Follow the Post's coverage of the Mets in the postseason:

The week off was meant to help a nagging sore elbow and it remains as dangerous as can be, especially in October.

Harper started this group's postseason magic with a home run through the raindrops off Padres fireball reliever Robert Suarez that sent the Phillies to the World Series two years ago.

But the Phillies trio of right-handed bats of catcher JT Realmuto, outfielder Nick Castellanos and third baseman Alec Bohm could well be the key against the left-dominated Mets rotation.

Castellanos will clean up. Even though he is prone to breaking the ball away, he has shown much more patience at the plate.

That will allow the young Bohm – whose greatest talent is plate coverage – to reach fifth and let Realmuto provide some balance in the lineup on the sixth hole. Realmuto – one of the best defensive catchers in the game with an arm weapon – is finally healthy after an injury-plagued season.

The bottom third is the weakest part of the Phillies lineup.

Second baseman Bryson Stott has struggled after a promising two years, particularly against lefties.

He will likely start for Edmundo Sosa against the Mets' left-handed hitters.

Likewise, the young, long-bearded Brandon Marsh will team with Austin Hays, the right-hander acquired at the deadline from Baltimore.

The Phils will go with the easy-hitting Johan Rojas for superior defense in the middle of the field.

The rotation

Of all the Mets' disastrous pitching decisions in recent years, the worst by far was giving up Zack Wheeler, who has blossomed into a true ace.

“He’s become a real horse,” said the scout. “He reminds me of Roy Halladay. He is big and powerful. He throws his fastball anywhere he wants – inside, outside – and his ball is as heavy as if he were hitting a bowling ball. You can’t summarize it.”

Wheeler allowed just 139 hits in 200 innings this season and struck out .224 with a 0.96 whip.

Thompson chose to pitch to young left-hander Cristopher Sanchez in Game 2 on Sunday. Sanchez, who has significantly better splits at home, has blossomed into a promising starter. He increased his speed to a consistent 96-97 mph and developed an incredible changeup.

“His fastball and his changeup come from the same tunnel,” the scout said. “He really keeps a hitter off balance.”

Veteran Aaron Nola, the stalwart innings eater, will pitch Game 3 in New York.

He is no stranger to the Mets, having faced him 28 times in his career. He is 10-9 with a 3.46.

The hero Pete Alonso had the most success against him with five home runs.

If Nola has a weakness, it's his penchant for giving up the long ball. He struck out 30 in 197 innings that year.

The pencil

The Phillies can be very dangerous here, especially with the deadline acquisition of closer Carlos Estevez from the Angels.

They have five real weapons in the mix with All-Stars Jeff Hoffman and Orion Kerkering on the right side and nasty lefties Jose Alvarado and Matt Strahm, another All-Star.

“Other than maybe the Padres, the Phillies have the best bullpen in baseball,” the scout said. “You just have so many options at the end of the game. And on top of that, their starters can dive deep into the game. You know Wheeler is dying to give it [back to the Mets].”

Red October

What makes the Phillies feel even more impressive is the home-field advantage at Citizens Bank Park, a hectic place that has quickly become unlike any other in otherwise hyped Philly – which includes the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.

Alex Rodriguez loved the bench when he first experienced it two years ago while working for Fox in the World Series.

“Philly really has the 10th man advantage,” he said Friday.

“The noise there,” said former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, “feels like an ocean wave swallowing you up.”

Post alum Anthony L. Gargano is a content creator for ALLCITY Networks' PHLY based in Philadelphia