Mets Playoff Path: 2025 MLB Postseason Scenarios and Schedule

The New York Mets’ Playoff Prospects for 2025

The New York Mets have made the postseason in two of the last four years, and fans are wondering if they can return in 2025. This season has been a rollercoaster for the team, with high points and low moments that have kept the excitement alive.

In the offseason, the Mets made a big move by signing superstar outfielder Juan Soto to a record contract. That acquisition helped them take control of the NL East for a significant portion of the season. However, the second half has not gone as smoothly, and the team is now fighting to maintain its position in the wild-card race as the playoffs approach.

Despite recent challenges, the Mets still hold an advantage in the NL wild-card race as the regular season comes to a close. They will need to stay ahead of strong competition from the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds, and San Francisco Giants if they want to extend their season beyond Game 162.

Updated Wild-Card Standings

As of September 18, the Mets have a two-game lead over the rest of the field for the final NL playoff spot. While they trail the Padres and Cubs in the wild-card standings, they remain in a solid position to secure the WC3 spot.

Here’s a breakdown of the latest NL wild-card standings:

• WC1: Cubs – 88-68 (.564), +8.0
• WC2: Padres – 85-71 (.545), +5.0
• WC3: Reds – 80-76 (.513)
• Mets – 80-76 (.513), 0.0 GB
• Diamondbacks – 79-77 (.506), 1.0 GB
• Giants – 77-79 (.494), 3.0 GB
• Marlins – 76-80 (.487), 4.0 GB
• Cardinals – 76-80 (.487), 4.0 GB
• Braves – 73-83 (.468), ELIMINATED
• Pirates – 67-89 (.429), ELIMINATED
• Nationals – 64-92 (.410), ELIMINATED
• Rockies – 43-113 (.276), ELIMINATED

The Mets are currently tied with the Reds for the third wild-card spot, but they need to maintain their position as the season winds down.

Mets' Remaining Schedule

Here's a look at the Mets’ schedule for the remainder of the 2025 season:

• September 23: at Cubs – 7:40 p.m. ET
• September 24: at Cubs – 8:00 p.m. ET
• September 25: at Cubs – 7:40 p.m. ET
• September 26: at Marlins – 7:10 p.m. ET
• September 27: at Marlins – 4:10 p.m. ET
• September 28: at Marlins – 3:10 p.m. ET

These games against the Cubs and Marlins will be crucial for the Mets as they aim to secure a playoff berth.

Magic Number and Elimination Number

A magic number represents the number of wins (by the leading team) and/or losses (by the trailing team) needed for a team to clinch a particular race. Since the Mets are currently out of a postseason spot due to a tiebreaker disadvantage, they don’t have a magic number. Their elimination number is six, meaning they need to lose six more games or see the teams ahead of them lose six games to be eliminated.

MLB Playoff Tiebreakers

With the expanded postseason format introduced in 2022, tiebreaker games like "Game 163" have been eliminated. Instead, ties are resolved using a series of criteria:

1. Head-to-head record
2. Record within division
3. Record within league

For a two-team tie, these three steps determine the winner. In the case of a three-team tie, the process becomes more complex. If one team has a winning record against each of the other teams, that team wins the tiebreaker. If two teams have an identical record against each other but both have a better record against the third team, the third team is eliminated, and the head-to-head process is used to determine the remaining two teams.