Mets have a chance to do the unthinkable and prove Brian Snitker right

The New York Mets certainly feel like the miracle team in this year's MLB postseason. The Mets clinched a Wild Card berth in their doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves, thanks in part to a clutch, go-ahead homer by star Francisco Lindor. Then, on Thursday night, the Mets eliminated the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card Series after a three-run homer by Pete Alonso with the team trailing 2-0 in the ninth inning.

The Mets will, finally, get a day off to rest, before they compete in the NLDS on Saturday afternoon when they take on the rival Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies hold the second seed in the NL and are looking to make it back to the World Series for the second time in three years.

The Mets have the chance to end their rivals huge aspirations, and in the process, prove Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker right.

Mets have the chance to prove Brian Snitker right with NLDS win over Phillies

The Braves vs. Phillies rivalry reached new heights this season. In back-to-back playoffs, the Phillies eliminated the Braves in the NLDS. Snitker said entering the 2024 season that the first-round bye played a role in the team getting eliminated and said he was not a fan of MLB's postseason format.

“It’s hard to hit velocity when you haven’t seen anything in five days," Snitker said, h/t That Ball's Outta Here. "That’s my biggest thing. We had a team that set all these records and everything offensively, and we didn’t hit much in the postseason."

This irked Philadelphia players and in turn, motivated them to prove Snitker wrong. That was brought to light by The Athletic MLB insider Ken Rosenthal during a Sept. 19 game between the Phillies and Mets.

"A number of Phillies took offense," said Rosenthal. "They believe Snitker was making excuses and demeaning their back-to-back triumphs as a Wild Card over the Braves in the DS."

This season, the Phillies went 95-67 to win the NL East and earn a bye from the Wild Card Round. With that, the Phillies haven't played since this past Sunday, so that's a five-day layoff. The Phillies also hold the head-to-head season advantage, as they went 7-6.

The Mets, much like the Detroit Tigers in the American League, have gotten hot at the right time. They will look to pull off yet another upset and advance to the NLCS for the first time since 2015. In the process, they will prove Snitker right that the layoff does play a role in playoff underperformance.