Diamondbacks Gameday Thread, No. 158: Sept. 24 vs. Giants + Scoreboard Observation

Yes, it may be more than two and a half hours before Brandon Pfaadt throws out the first pitch tonight at Chase Field. But on the other side of the country, an almost equally important contest begins at 4:20 p.m. That's when the Atlanta Braves begin their three-game series against the New York Mets, with both teams, along with the Diamondbacks, gunning for a wild-card spot. Going into the game, the Mets are half a game ahead and the Braves are a game and a half behind. While the D-backs still have their fate in their own hands, this series promises to be crucial in determining when—and let's be honest, “if” is still an option—a postseason berth for Arizona is secured.

I'm sure many D-backs fans will be watching, with the general sentiment likely being to root for the Mets. While a New York win could potentially push the D-backs into the third wildcard spot, it could well see Arizona secure a spot and put to rest any doubts heading into the final series against San Diego. For the sake of our nerves, I don't think the trade-off between the second and third wildcard spots is as big as the collective sigh of relief of securing a playoff spot on Wednesday or Thursday. Weather permitting, of course! As discussed in the comments by Snake Bytes, an impending hurricane could well be a factor in the Atlanta series. You can't make this stuff up, folks!

And later? Brandon Pfaadt. Let's hope Arizona gets things under control and gets the magic number in the right direction for the first time since Saturday.