Where to watch Mets vs. Braves: TV channel, live stream, more on the decisive series between NL rivals

Perhaps the most important series of the 2024 MLB regular season takes place this week at Truist Park. The Atlanta Braves host the NL East rival New York Mets for three games, and there may only be one postseason spot for these two teams. One will be playing baseball in October, that's for sure, and the other's season could end next Sunday with Game 162. And with a possible hurricane heading towards the regionthe stakes have never been higher.

Here are the wildcard tables of the National League:

1. San Diego Padres: 90-66 (+3.5GB)
2. New York Mets: 87-69 (+0.5GB)
3. Arizona Diamondbacks: 87-70
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4. Atlanta Braves: 85-71 (1.5GB)

All NL teams behind Atlanta have been eliminated from the wild-card race. Now that the season is winding down, four teams are battling for three spots. This week's series with the Mets is the Braves' best — perhaps last — chance to make up significant ground in a short amount of time. It's also a chance for the Mets to bury Atlanta and effectively end their season.

“You knew that a couple of weeks ago, right? This series will probably help decide this thing,” Braves catcher Sean Murphy said over the weekend (via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). “We know what's coming, and we know what we have to do.”

Two years ago, the Mets went to Truist Park for the penultimate series of the regular season, were swept in three games and lost first place in the NL East. The Braves are hoping for a repeat. It might be the only way for them to get a wild-card spot. Here are the details for this week's Braves vs. Mets series in Atlanta. Select games can be streamed on fuboTV (try for free).

Both teams are starting their top three pitchers this week and that is no coincidence. The Mets used Monday's off day to move Jose Quintana's start from Tuesday to Friday and move Severino, Peterson and Manaea up front so they could face the Braves. Sale is the favorite for the NL Cy Young Award and Manaea has done a good Sale imitation since copying him and lowering his arm slot.

The Braves and Mets both had an off day on Monday, so their bullpens will be rested — or at least as rested as they can be this time of year — when the series begins on Tuesday. Now, here are five things to know ahead of this week's all-important series at Truist Park.

1. Clinch scenarios

Let's get the easy stuff out of the way first: Atlanta can't clinch a postseason berth in this series against the Mets. Even if they beat the Mets and the D-backs lose their games against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday and Wednesday (they have Thursday off), the Braves can't clinch a wild-card berth in this series. Even in the best-case scenario, they'll have to wait until the weekend.

For the Mets, it's simple. If they win two games in this series, they're in the postseason. The D-backs will play a role in deciding New York's exact wild-card placement, and that may not be decided until Game 162, but if they win two games against the Braves, the Mets are in. The Braves won't necessarily be eliminated — they could still pass Arizona — but the Mets are in with two wins.

2. Lindor could return in this series

Francisco Lindor, New York's MVP candidate, hasn't played since Sept. 15 because he's dealing with back problems so bad he had to get a facet joint injection in his spine (ouch) over the weekend. Lindor isn't scheduled to play Tuesday, but he's optimistic he'll play again this season, even if it's unlikely he'll be pain-free.

Of course, the Mets have done well without Lindor. They are 6-1 since Lindor last played, thanks in large part to rookie Luisangel Acuña, Ronald's younger brother, who has filled in at shortstop. Acuña is 9-for-22 (.409) with two doubles, a triple and three home runs since Lindor's absence. The Mets acquired Acuña from the Texas Rangers in the Max Scherzer trade last summer.

Additionally, veteran gloveman Jose Iglesias has stepped in as the first batter since Lindor last played, going 14-for-30 (.467) with two doubles and a home run in that role. Iglesias took over as the everyday second baseman when Jeff McNeil broke his wrist on a bad throw two weeks ago. Now he's stepped in as the first batter, and he's been incredible. The 34-year-old is hitting .337/.381/.459 in 2024.

Acuña and Iglesias have been excellent during Lindor's absence, but the Mets are obviously at their best when their MVP candidate is playing leadoff and shortstop. Lindor could return on Wednesday or Thursday. It's possible, but not certain. If he can, great. If not, then the Mets will rely on Acuña and Iglesias to continue their recent excellence for a few more games.

3. The game on Thursday is a catch-up game

Originally, this was a two-game series. The final game on Thursday is a make-up game for the rain-canceled April 10 game, and my goodness, imagine how much has changed since then! Acuña – Ronald, not Luisangel – was healthy on April 10. So were Lindor and Austin Riley. Murphy was on the injured list at the time. Manaea, the scheduled starter for Thursday, had not yet dropped his arm and turned into an ace. Iglesias and Mark Vientos were in Triple-A. It could go on forever.

The regular season is a long, arduous 162-game contest and so much has changed since this game was originally played. And you know what? That's baseball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes it rains. On paper, I'd say the rain break benefits the Mets. They'll have Iglesias and Vientos in the lineup and The Manaea on the mound on Thursday, and the Braves won't have Acuña and Riley in the lineup. But that's why they're playing the games. “On paper” means nothing.

4. Who is hot, who is not

Baseball is a sport of ups and downs. Consistency from day to day and week to week is a myth. As a result, some players enter this week's series with better bat swings than others. Here are the Mets' best in September:

Acuña and Iglesias have also been outstanding this month and especially recently. All five of Alvarez's home runs in September have come in his last 10 games, and Taylor has been so good he's played in the home stretch nearly every day, starting eight of the last 10 games and rotating between the three outfield positions.

On the other end of the spectrum, JD Martinez was just awful in September (.068/.180/.091) and is now on the short side of a DH platoon with Jesse Winker. Vientos has a strikeout in nearly 40% of his at-bats in September and is also having a rough month. Aside from his game-winning home run on Sunday, Brandon Nimmo has been quiet at bat in recent weeks.

Here are three Braves players who swung the bat well in September:

Soler's outfield defense has been poor since joining the Bravesalthough his hitting makes up for it this month. Marcell Ozuna was also great in September – in fact, he's been great all year – posting batting averages of .329/.417/.425. As our RJ Anderson wrote last weekThe Braves have done really well by filling in for injured players like Ramón Laureano and Whit Merrifield.

Atlanta's September stragglers include catchers Murphy (.079/.182/.184) and Travis d'Arnaud (.171/.310/.200) and shortstop Orlando Arcia (.160/.213/.267). Arcia has been a liability on offense all year. The Braves thought they had enough offense to carry his weak bat this season, but injuries have made his lack of production a bit more costly.

5. What happens next?

This is the final week of the regular season, and this Braves vs. Mets series is the second-to-last of the year for both teams. After that, the Mets head to Milwaukee to play a Brewers team that has already won the NL Central and still has a chance at a Wild Card Series bye. Their priority is to avoid injuries and put themselves in the best position possible for October. They don't want to chase every last win in the regular season, but don't expect them to give up while the bye is still in play.

The Braves, meanwhile, stay at home and play three games this weekend against the Kansas City Royals. The Royals are in their own race for the postseason – they are one game ahead of a wild-card spot – so the final series is, on paper, an advantage for the Mets. They play against a Brewers team that has already won the division and is not going all out to win every single game, while the Braves a desperate Royals team. There's a chance – a small chance, but a chance nonetheless – that Game 162 between the Braves and the Royals next Sunday will be a win-or-lose affair for both teams. Wouldn't that be fun?