Mets vs. Braves score, playoff clinching scenarios: Live updates with final MLB postseason spots on the line

The Mets-Braves doubleheader on Monday will determine the playoff lives of three teams

The final Sunday of the 2024 MLB regular season, it turns out, wasn't the end. Instead, the Braves and Mets will play a doubleheader Monday at Truist Park to determine the final two spots in the postseason bracket. No pressure, guys. Game 1 gets underway at 1:10 p.m. ET and is streaming on fubo (try for free).

The doubleheader, which was necessitated by Hurricane Helene passing through Georgia this past week, is of paramount importance to the Braves, Mets, and Diamondbacks. The D-backs and Mets both won Sunday while the Braves lost. Here's what that means for Monday's doubleheader:

Doubleheader result	No. 5 seed	No. 6 seed	Eliminated
Braves win one, Mets win one	Braves	Mets	D-backs
Braves win two	Braves	D-backs	Mets
Mets win two	Mets	D-backs	Braves

Spencer Schwellenbach will get the Game 1 start for the Braves against the Mets' Tylor Megill. From there, things get a little messy. Whichever team wins the first game has little incentive to try in the second game and risk injury or burning important pitchers they'll need for the Wild Card Series, which starts tomorrow. As listed, Chris Sale and Luis Severino will start Game 2, but it's almost impossible to imagine that both will actually do so. The winner of Game 1 will rest as many players as possible. The loser will be fighting for their postseason life.

CBS Sports will have live updates from the doubleheader at Truist Park. Follow along below.

[Sep 30, 2024 at 3:20 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

That's a blown save

Jose Iglesias singles off Raisel Iglesias to tie the game, 3-3. Hoo boy. 

[Sep 30, 2024 at 3:18 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

Raisel Iglesias on for the two-inning save

For anyone curious, he's done this a few times before. He threw two innings six different times this season, most recently on Sept. 22, when he threw 28 pitches in Miami to close things down. He does NOT, however, very often inherit runners. There are two Mets on base right now. He's only come into the game with multiple runners on base four times this season. Of course, he stranded every single one of those runners. 

[Sep 30, 2024 at 3:12 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

Francisco Alvarez greets Joe Jiménez rudely with a double down the line to drive in Tyrone Taylor and score the first Mets run of the day. Starling Marte follows with a single to put runners at first and third with no outs and Francisco Lindor singles to drive in the second run of the day. That will send Jiménez to the showers with the Braves up 3-2 and runners on first and second with no outs. Raisel Iglesias is coming in to try to lock down a six-out save.

[Sep 30, 2024 at 3:10 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

Tyrone Taylor leads off the 8th with a double to the wall, the Mets' first extra-base hit of the day, and that's it for Spencer Schwellenbach. 

[Sep 30, 2024 at 2:58 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

Schwellenbach hasn't gone past seven innings in his first 20 starts in the majors. He just finished 7 with just 83 pitches. Will Brian Snitker send him back out and save his relievers, not just for Game 2 but for Game 1 of the Wild Card Series?

[Sep 30, 2024 at 2:54 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

After 6, it's still 3-0 Braves. It's also raining.

[Sep 30, 2024 at 2:44 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

Braves go deep again

It's 3-0 now after Ramón Laureano homered to center field. 

Laureano was acquired by the Braves as a free agent in late May, only four days after he was released by the Guardians, as an injury replacement when Ronald Acuña Jr. went down with a torn ACL. Prior to Monday, he hit .293/.323/.495 (124 OPS+) in 65 games for the Braves. This marks his 10th home run since the acquisition. His career high for a season is 24, but he hadn't hit more than 14 homers in a season since 2019. 

Of note now: With a 3-0 Braves lead heading to the seventh inning, the Mets might have to think about holding back their best relievers for what could end up being a must-win second game. Of course, a three-run deficit isn't totally out of reach, so it's a tough call. 

[Sep 30, 2024 at 2:32 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

Tylor Megill has averaged barely over 5 innings a start this season. He's at 84 pitches with two outs in the fifth. The Mets are down 2-0. Do you pull him and try to let your bullpen hold on and your offense come back? Or do you keep Megill out there for as long as he can, knowing he's not going to be on the Wild Card Series roster and try to save your relievers for Game 2?

[Sep 30, 2024 at 2:27 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

Schwellenbach works out of it

After two singles, the Mets went strikeout, groundout, groundout. It's 2-0 Braves, mid-5th.

[Sep 30, 2024 at 2:22 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

Mets in business ...

Pete Alonso and JD Martinez have singled to start the fourth.

[Sep 30, 2024 at 2:15 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

Reminder on Game 2

Whichever team wins the first game will clinch a playoff spot and have zero incentive to win the second game. That means we won't see Luis Severino vs. Chris Sale. The winning team will replace the announced starter. 

[Sep 30, 2024 at 1:56 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

Ozzie Albies homers to give Braves early lead

Michael Harris II singled to lead off the bottom of the third inning against Mets starter Tylor Megill and Ozzie Albies followed with a two-run homer to left field, making it 2-0 Braves in the first game of the doubleheader in Atlanta Monday. 

Albies only recently returned to the lineup after a lengthy absence due to a fractured left wrist. Prior to Monday, he was 4 for 31 with one homer since his return, giving him a .129 average and .226 slugging. It had to feel nice to get that big knock Monday and perhaps he's starting to settle back in. 

As a reminder, whichever team wins Game 1 of this doubleheader clinches a playoff berth before Game 2 even starts. 

[Sep 30, 2024 at 1:51 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

Schwellenbach vs. Mets

The rookie Spencer Schwellenbach has now seen the Mets for 17 innings this season. He's allowed one run on six hits with 18 strikeouts and one walk. 

[Sep 30, 2024 at 1:49 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

And Tyrone Taylor is stranded at third after three straight groundouts.

[Sep 30, 2024 at 1:45 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

And the first hit for the Mets: a Tyrone Taylor infield single down the first baseline. Taylor then immediately stole second base.

[Sep 30, 2024 at 1:44 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

No score through two. Braves had some traffic but Tylor Megill struck out Gio Urshela and Orlando Arcia to end the threat.

[Sep 30, 2024 at 1:36 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

Braves' Ramon Laureano gets the first hit of the game with a slow grounder to third base.

[Sep 30, 2024 at 1:27 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

Everyone's in a hurry

The Mets went three up, three down in the top of the first and the Braves had just one baserunner, a walk, around two strikeouts in the bottom of the inning.

[Sep 30, 2024 at 1:01 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

Let's get going

It's just about time for the first pitch of Game 1. As way of reminder: if the Mets and Braves sweep, both teams make the playoffs. If the Mets sweep, the Mets and the Diamondbacks make the playoffs. If the Braves sweep, the Braves and the Diamondbacks make the playoffs. Got it? Good.

[Sep 29, 2024 at 6:08 pm ET · Dayn Perry]

Braves fall to Royals, 4-2

The Braves' loss to KC in tandem with the wins by the Mets and Diamondbacks means that the final two NL playoff spots hinge on Monday's makeup doubleheader between the Mets and Braves in Atlanta. As noted below, the Braves and Mets will claim the final two wild-card berths if they split that doubleheader. If it's a sweep doubleheader, the D-backs and the sweeping team will head to the postseason. 

[Sep 29, 2024 at 5:53 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Diamondbacks defeat Padres 11-2

This, plus the Mets winning, now only requires the Royals to hold off the Braves in the bottom of the ninth to get the scenario described below -- that being the Mets and Braves can each clinch tomorrow if they split their doubleheader; the D-backs can clinch only if one of those teams wins both games.

[Sep 29, 2024 at 5:49 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Mets defeat Brewers 5-0

Presuming the Royals defeat the Braves and the Diamondbacks do the same to the Padres, then the Mets and Braves will clinch a playoff berth with a single win as part of Monday's doubleheader. The D-backs, meanwhile, would require one of those teams to sweep the other to get in.

[Sep 29, 2024 at 5:24 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

If the results hold ...

The Royals would be the fifth seed in the AL, the Tigers the sixth seed. In other words, the Royals would face the Orioles, the Tigers the Astros.

[Sep 29, 2024 at 5:20 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

Important scores as of 5:20 p.m. ET

Sure looks like we're going to have meaningful baseball on Monday. Here's where the important games sit:

Mets up 5-0 in the eighth. The win alone will not clinch a postseason berth for the Mets. They would need to win one game Monday to get in (barring a D-backs collapse today).

Braves down 4-2 in the seventh. The loss will not eliminate the Braves. Like the Mets, the Braves would need to win one game Monday (again, barring a D-backs collapse today).

D-backs up 9-2 in the seventh. Arizona can not clinch a postseason berth with a win. It will only make a difficult path a little easier. A loss today would have put them in dire straights though.

If these scores hold, the Mets and Braves will go into Monday's makeup doubleheader needing one win each to qualify for the postseason. The D-backs would need one team to sweep the doubleheader to get in.

[Sep 29, 2024 at 4:50 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

Arraez is out of the game

He finishes with a .314 batting average overall, and a .318 batting average with the Padres.

[Sep 29, 2024 at 4:46 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

Important scores as of 4:45 p.m. ET

Mets up 5-0 in the sixth. Francisco Lindor hit a home run, his first since missing all those games with a back injury. This game means nothing to the Brewers, who just want to make it through the afternoon without any injuries.

D-backs up 7-1 in the seventh. Arizona broke this one open with a six-run fourth inning against the Padres. Luis Arraez got his 200th hit of the season to seal his third straight batting title.

Braves down 4-2 in the sixth. The Braves do not need to win today to clinch a postseason berth, but a loss would make it necessary to win a game Monday. The Royals aren't playing for anything other than wild-card seeding. They're in the postseason already.

If these scores hold, the Braves and Mets will go into Monday's doubleheader each needing one win to get into the postseason. The D-backs would need one of those two teams to sweep to get in.

[Sep 29, 2024 at 4:45 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Gilbert's perfect game ends

Nick Allen just singled to break up the perfecto with two outs in the top of the sixth. Looks like that'll also bring Gilbert's day and season to a close.

[Sep 29, 2024 at 4:40 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

Arraez doubles

That's his 200th hit of the season and pretty much clinches his third straight batting title. Three straight batting titles with three different teams too. That's never been done before.

[Sep 29, 2024 at 4:40 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

Raleigh hits a record-setting dinger

He's hit more home runs in his first four years than any catcher in history. Here's his latest:

Raleigh also played Gold Glove defense and led the majors in innings caught this season. The batting average isn't pretty, I know, but the all-around play is exemplary. What a player.

[Sep 29, 2024 at 4:34 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

Ohtani is 0-3

That pretty much does it for the Triple Crown. Here's the math on his path to passing Arraez:

Dodgers have already pulled Mookie. Wouldn't be surprised if they take Ohtani out soon.