It is possible no one has had it harder recently than the Mets, who just finished up a stretch in which they played 27 games in 26 days. The final 10 of those were on the road, where the Mets faced significant challenges in Atlanta, Philadelphia and The Bronx.
It is also possible no one will have it easier the rest of the regular season.
For the Mets’ final 37 games, their opponents held a .446 winning percentage entering Wednesday, which was the easiest strength of schedule in the majors.
The Mets have 12 series remaining, beginning with a four-game set at Citi Field against the Rockies that begins Thursday. Of those series opponents, only the Dodgers, Brewers and Braves owned winning records.
Just nine of the Mets’ remaining games will be against a club above .500 as of Wednesday.
After a three-game series against the Dodgers ends on Sept. 1, the Mets will play 16 straight against the Nationals, Pirates, Marlins, Cubs and Pirates (again).
The Braves’ remaining schedule was the eighth easiest, with their opponents owning a .480 winning percentage.
After a 14-2 win at Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Atlanta had moved to 1 ½ games behind the idle Mets.
The Mets, coming off a two-game sweep at the Yankees’ hands, were appreciative of a rare day off in New York.
“It’s going to be nice, I’m not going to lie to you,” Pete Alonso said Tuesday after the Mets completed their 26-day stretch 18-9. “We’ve been playing a ton of baseball.”
Timmy Trumpet, who predictably is behind the trumpet on Edwin Diaz’s entrance song, “Narco,” will be at Citi Field to throw the ceremonial first pitch before the game Tuesday against the Dodgers.
The Mets said that if Diaz appears in the game, Timmy Trumpet will perform “Narco” live when Diaz enters from the bullpen.
Major League Baseball announced the 2023 schedule, which will include each team playing each team.
The Mets will open in Miami on March 30.
The home opener will be April 6, also against the Marlins.
Other notable series include the Subway Series June 13-14 at Citi Field and July 25-26 at Yankee Stadium; July 21-23 in Boston; and Aug. 25-27, when the Mets host Shohei Ohtani and the Angels.
MLB announced lefty Richard Cardoza, an 18-year-old on the Mets’ Dominican Summer League roster, received a 60-game suspension after testing positive for Stanozolol, a performance-enhancing substance.
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