Mets vs Braves: 3 bold predictions for vital NL East series

1. The better team takes two of three, as in the defending World Series champs!

For the sake of simplicity, let’s say the Robinson Cano revenge game and the Pete Alonso moonshot victory happen during the first two nights of this series. It is only fitting the matinee on Wednesday afternoon will serve as the series’ rubber match. With Charlie Morton on the mound vs. Chris Bassitt, Atlanta will get the quality start it needs to take the series … and the NL East.

Splitting the first pair will have the Mets still 1.5 games up on the Braves in the division standings. Keep in mind that with these being head-to-head matchups, the wins and losses count double. Had this game been played at Citi Field, perhaps the results will have been different? Fate would have it, Atlanta will win this one in its final at-bat, despite Morton not factoring in the decision…

The Braves are either going to walk off as NL East division leaders or plate enough runs across in the eighth inning to set the bullpen up to close out the Mets in the top of the ninth. It will be going down to the wire, one where fans of both teams will be sweating it out while they try to pretend to work during the game. Look for either Dansby Swanson or Austin Riley to get the big base hit.

In less than two months, the Braves will lead the NL East after being down double-digits in May.