Playoff hopes dwindling

It’s the home stretch of the MLB season, and both New York clubs are watching their playoff hopes grow more and more slim. Many times through an up-and-down season, both the Mets and Yankees looked poised to make the postseason, but neither stayed in control of their destiny.
While the Mets sat atop the NL East for half the season, they coughed up their lead with an abysmal second half. Across town, a wild winning streak looked like it would propel the pinstripes to the playoffs. Instead, a lackluster September saw the Yankees fall back into 4th in a brutally difficult AL East.
The Mets season was likely finished a few weeks ago, but in true fashion they punched and kicked to stay alive through September. They have road trips to Milwaukee and Atlanta left on the schedule. A 4-game series against the Marlins at home may seem like a blessing, but Miami leads the season series 8-7, including five wins through August and September.
Before their two games in Boston, the Mets sat 5.5 games out of 1st place and 7 out of a Wild Card spot. It would take a miracle (and collapses from the Phillies and Braves) for them to sneak into the playoffs, and the roster isn’t performing nearly enough to make much noise in October anyway.
As much as the Mets season has had its ups and downs, the Yankees season has been chaotic from start to finish. Playing in the toughest division in baseball, there was little room for error with four teams in the hunt for postseason baseball.
An incredible run of 13 consecutive wins saw the Bombers shoot to 2nd place and the first Wild Card spot, but they dropped nine of their next 13, including a pivotal four-game sweep by the Blue Jays.
They’re just a half game out of the Wild Card, but the Yankees have to dominate the final three series of the year, all against the divisional foes that stand in their way. If they pull it off, they’ll likely have to rematch the Red Sox for a chance to play the American League-leading Rays in the ALDS.