Who should Mets fans root for in the playoffs?

The New York Mets unfortunately will not be going to the playoffs this year. But the playoffs started Tuesday and here is a guide to who Mets fans should root for, listed in order from most to least.

1)      Milwaukee Brewers: Before David Stearns was hired, there probably would’ve been a different No. 1 preference here. But with Stearns at the helm as the new President of Operations for the Mets and him being one for the Brewers for a long time, the Brewers winning it all, would bring more hope to the Mets. Because Stearns assembled much of this Brewers team with most of the players being acquired by him. Under Stearns, the Brewers have been consistent playoff teams and reached the National League Championship Series once in 2018. But if the Brewers win the World Series, Stearns will still get a lot of credit and it would offer more hope to the future of the Mets with him leading the way now.

2)      Arizona Diamondbacks: There were many options for the No. 2 spot up for grabs. But in the end, it went to the DBacks. They are a National League team and they have not had much brushbacks with the Mets over the years. In fact, the Mets have handled the DBacks surprisingly well this year, winning 6 out of 7 over them in 2023. Also, the DBacks were 74-88 the year before, which is one less win than the Mets this season. So them bouncing back, to reach the playoffs, should offer some encouragement to the Mets for next season. Finally even though Tommy Pham criticized some of the Mets players’ work ethic, which might hold true, he still was one of the few bright spots for the Mets in the first half when he was in Queens.

3)      Tampa Bay Rays: Sure they have been winning consistent over the last several years. But they are still a small market team that doesn’t spend a lot and small market teams are usually rootable. Steve Cohen wants to emulate the Los Angeles Dodgers. He should also take a page out of the Rays and how they make the most of what they have with limited resources, through player development and maximizing their talents. The Mets also played well vs the Rays, winning 2 out of 3 back in May.

4)      Baltimore Orioles: If you really want to talk about a turnaround, here’s a big one right here. After finishing fourth in the American League East last season, the O’s not only finished first in their division this year with 101 wins, but finished with the best record in the AL. And they’ve done it without spending much and building from their farm system. As the Mets are trying to build more from their farm system as well, the O’s ascension is a great example of how to get it done. Their turnaround along with them having many losing seasons prior to 2023, would be a good story if they win it all.

5)      Minnesota Twins: For years, the Twins have been a team to root for in the playoffs with their small payroll and how they always build well from within. Even though the AL Central is not that strong, the Twins have done it again this year with not that big a payroll, despite signing Carlos Correra to a large contract. Speaking of Correra, because the Mets missed out on him last offseason, it would be hard pressed to see him win another World Series title. Although it actually worked out well with Correra’s drop-off in performance in 2023.

6)      Toronto Blue Jays: Other than when the Blue Jays swepted the Mets at Citi Field and probably jumpstarted the Mets 7-19 June record, the Jays are a fun team led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr.and not dislikeable. And just like the Rays and Orioles, the Blue Jays are in the AL East, and any team that wins the World Series, would not bode well for the Yankees, who are miserably watching the playoffs instead as well.

7)      Houston Astros: In the overall baseball perspective, the Astros are still one of the least rootable teams because of their constant winning and their past cheating scandal as well. But from the Mets fans eyes, the Astros previous cheating has not affected the Mets one bit. And no team has tormented the Yankees in recent years more than the Astros, especially in October. Not to mention the Astros also beat the Phillies in the World Series last year, to prevent one of the NL East rivals from celebrating a title.

8)      Texas Rangers: Overall, the Rangers should’ve been up higher in this list. They went from 68 wins last year to 90 wins this year and have done it by developing a lot of their own homegrown players. The problem is one player on that team. Max Scherzer! Scherzer did not have as good a Mets tenure as desired. He faltered down the stretch last season, and this season, had the run ins with the sticky substance and was inconsistent on the mound. Then after being traded, said some critical remarks about the team’s direction moving forward. Even though Scherzer is done for the year, he will still get a ring if the Rangers win it all, and that would make a good number of Mets fans sick to their stomach.

9)      Los Angeles Dodgers: Cohen has said time and time again that he wants to make the Mets the Dodgers of the East because of LA’s constant winning. At the same time, that is why many people are tired of seeing the Dodgers win, even though they only won one World Series title since the last time that they did not reach the playoffs back in 2012. Then for the older generations of Mets fans, the pain of the 1988 NLCS still lingers to this day. The Mike Scioscia game tying home run off Dwight Gooden in Game 4, still leaves a sour taste in many fans’ minds. The 1988 NLCS loss not only prevented another World Series title for the 80s Mets, to add to 1986, but it prevented a dynasty that should’ve but never happened.

10)  Florida Marlins: Overall in baseball, the Marlins are one of the feel good stories of the game and one where most fans will cheer for, after many dormant years. But it’s different from the Mets fans view for various reasons. First, the Marlins are still a division rival. Second as a result, the Marlins have given the Mets and their fans plenty of painful moments on the field. None more so than 2007 and 2008 when the Mets collapsed in September in both years. And in both years, the Mets season ended on the last game, losing to the Marlins both times at Shea Stadium, to be eliminated from playoff contention. Last game in 2008, was also the last game at Shea, which made it even more painful. Even with many bad teams, the Marlins have always been a thorn in the Mets side.

11)  Philadelphia Phillies: Mets fans rooting for the Phillies, is an unbearable and unthinkable sight. Not to mention, Philly is one of NY’s biggest sports rivals. But back to the Phillies, no Mets fan can forget how once dominant the Phillies were in the late 2000s. With Jimmy Rollins flapping his mouth and many various Phillies players sticking it to the Mets on field. Including perhaps the most despised player amongst Mets fans, in Chase Utley, who not only did it with the bat but also on the basepaths with his hard slides. The current Phillies team may not be as despised as those Phillies teams in the past, but there’s a player in Bryce Harper who was always disliked In Flushing, whether it be as a National or now as a Phillie. And no opposing fan base is closer to NY than Philly fans. If the Phillies win it all, imagine how many Phillie fans would show up at Citi Field next season when the Phillies come to town, and show off their World Series title shirts. Would be a very disgusting sight for a Mets fan, seeing more red at their stadium.

12)  Atlanta Braves: Finally, who else would be in the bottom of this list, other than the Mets biggest rival, tormentor, kryptonite and nemesis over the last 20 years or so. It’s been that way most of the time since the Braves started dominating the NL East in the 1990s. From Chipper Jones and the Big 3 in their rotation (Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz), to Freddie Freeman, and now Ronald Acuna Jr. Matt Olson and co, the Braves simply have had players and teams that have constantly owned the Mets. Even when the Mets had good teams, like last year, the Braves still beat them in big spots and have taken the NL East from New York many times. It’s plain and simple. Out of all rivals that the Mets have, the Braves are clearly the biggest of them all. You can respect and admire them for their winning, but there is no way on earth that a Mets fan can relish seeing the Braves win another World Series title for the 2nd time in the last 3 years. And the fact that most of the core players on Atlanta’s current roster, will be there for years to come, makes things more frustrating for the Mets and their chances in the future.