The potential negative impact of the Great Rainout Debacle could spread to the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres, two teams that should not be at a disadvantage.
If the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves have to play a doubleheader on Monday to determine the final National League postseason spots, it will put them at a severe disadvantage in the wild-card series, as they would have to play eight games in seven days.
Rain soaked Truist Park on Wednesday and forced the postponement of the final two games of the Mets-Braves series. (Kevin D. Liles / Atlanta Braves / Getty Images)
But if the doubleheader is only needed for seeding purposes and Commissioner Rob Manfred decides to cancel it, the Mets and Braves would end up playing 160 games instead of the 162 required of other clubs. This would not be fair to the Brewers and Padres, who are close to securing home-field advantage for the wild-card round.
Seeding is not insignificant. If the NL East teams end up as wild cards, it could have significant implications for travel and home-field advantage in future rounds.
For instance, the flight from Atlanta to Milwaukee is shorter than the flight to San Diego. Seeding also determined home-field advantage in the NLCS two years ago when the Padres faced the Phillies.
Manfred must consider the bigger picture and aim for the most equitable outcome. Playing fewer games could affect the pitchers and hitters of the Mets and Braves. Brewers personnel feel it would be unfair and may impact their playoff preparation.
Brewers GM Matt Arnold remains focused on controlling what they can and not worrying about the opponents. Padres GM A.J. Preller did not comment on the situation.
While nothing is final, the Mets, Braves, and the Diamondbacks may face immediate consequences. The Diamondbacks could benefit if one of the NL East teams uses reserves in the doubleheader, potentially impacting the final postseason spot.
While sympathy may be limited for these teams, the Brewers and Padres played well enough to earn home-field advantage in the wild-card series. This advantage could be compromised if the Mets and Braves do not play on Monday.
— The Athletic’s Jayson Stark contributed to this story.
(Top photo of Pete Alonso, left, and Matt Olson: David J. Griffin / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)