5 things to watch as Mets and Marlins play two-game set at Citi Field

Here are five things to watch as the Mets and Miami Marlins play a two-game set at Citi Field starting on Tuesday...

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6-2

With eight games left in the regular season, the math is simple for the Mets. But just because it's simple doesn't mean it will be anything close to easy.

Here's the situation entering the series against the Marlins:

If the Mets go 6-2 the rest of the way, at least one of those wins will be against the Braves in Atlanta, which would give the Mets the tiebreaker in the NL East. New York's final record would be 103-59. In that scenario, the Braves can't win the division -- even if they go 8-1.

That means that if the Mets take care of business against the Marlins, they'll be in an advantageous spot entering their weekend series in Atlanta that comes before their final series of the regular season against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field.

For Mets fans still scarred by the end of the 2007 and 2008 seasons at the hands of the Marlins, I'll note that there are a grand total of zero players in the Mets' dugout who were there for that. Shea Stadium is gone, too. But the Marlins, like the Oakland Athletics this past weekend, won't just roll over.

No Sandy Alcantara

The Mets are catching a break this week since Alcantara will not be starting either game against them. 

New York has gotten to Alcantara a few times this season, but has also been dominated by him twice. And he is on another level right now as he goes for the Cy Young award, having allowed just two runs in 17 innings over his last two starts while walking two and striking out 18.

The Marlins are set to throw Pablo Lopez and Jesus Lazardo against the Mets (who will hopefully not be starting Darin Ruf against the lefty Lazardo), and New York has had success against both of them this season. That doesn't guarantee anything, but knowing that they won't be seeing Alcantara staring them down has to be a relief.

While the Mets avoid Alcantara this week, the Braves won't be so lucky. Atlanta is scheduled to face Alcantara in Miami on Oct. 5, which is the last game of the regular season. 

Mets' offense must keep doing what it's been doing

Aside from one dud last week against the Brewers in Milwaukee, the Mets' offense -- led by the scorching hot Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor -- has been firing on all cylinders lately.

The Mets have scored 63 runs over their last 10 games, and shouldn't have to score a ton to be able to pull out two wins against the Marlins.

Miami has scored an NL-worst 547 runs this season (for comparison, the Mets have scored 735), and has scored more than four runs just three times in their last 12 games.

The Marlins are also in a bit of turmoil right now, with news coming out on Sunday that Don Mattingly will be out as manager at the end of the season.

Will Edwin Diaz be rusty?

With so many of the Mets' games over the last few weeks being lopsided, Diaz hasn't pitched much.

To be exact, Diaz has made just four appearances since Sept. 1 and last pitched on Sept. 20 against the Brewers. In that game, Diaz was dominant, firing 1.1 perfect innings with three strikeouts.

But Diaz is someone who thrives with regular work, so it's fair to wonder if he'll be a bit rusty the next time he pitches.

There was some thought that Diaz would pitch on Sunday against the A's, even if the game was a blowout (which it turned out to be), but Seth Lugo finished the game instead as Diaz threw in the bullpen.

Braves vs. Nationals in Washington, D.C.

As the Mets are playing the Marlins, the Braves will be in the middle of a three-game series on the road against the Nats.

Washington is quite literally the worst team in baseball, but that didn't stop them from taking a game from the Braves last week ... or taking two games from the Cardinals in St. Louis earlier this month ... or taking a three-game series from the Mets right before they faced the Cards.

So while most will assume a three-game sweep by the Braves -- and that very well might happen -- it shouldn't be a shock if the Nats manage to steal the second or third game after losing the first. And if the Nats take just one game and the Mets can win both games against the Marlins, New York will be in a very good spot come Friday night in Atlanta.