NL EAST

After a trade-deadline frenzy that created a huge chasm between the haves from the have-nots in this baseball season, the schedule is proving to be a gigantic X-factor , especially in the NL East.

Big picture, September works against the odds of the Mets rallying to overtake the Braves and Phillies, but they do have a window to take advantage of the schedule and it is right now.

Overall the Mets have no excuse for their feeble production offensively, but as badly as they played for most of August, everything changed in the NL East based at least partly on the schedule.

Consider that over 10 days, from Aug. 13-22, the Braves went 9-0 against the Nationals, Marlins, and Orioles, while the Mets went 2-8 against the Dodgers and Giants.

Since then the Braves are 2-5 against the Yankees, Giants, and Dodgers, while the Mets have won four straight against the Nationals and Marlins.

So if you’re hanging on to hope that the Mets, currently 5.5 games out of first place, can make a run, they play their next nine games against the Marlins and Nationals, while the Braves have one more in LA, facing Scherzer, and then four in Colorado, where the non-contending Rockies have one of the best home records in the majors at 43-22.

The problem, of course, is that the Braves then get nine at home with the Nationals, Marlins and Rockies, who are hapless on the road, while the Phillies still have 20 games with the Marlins, Rockies (in Philly), Cubs, and Orioles.

So it would be a steep climb for the Mets, and their ongoing offensive struggles make it hard to believe they can make a big run. As such they are likely to look back at their inability to stretch their lead in June and July, when they had a soft schedule and the Braves and Phillies were stumbling around, as the real opportunity lost.

As an executive from an NL team told me Wednesday: “I think the only reason the Braves were so aggressive at the trade deadline was because the Mets had let them hang around. If they were 8 or 10 games out at the time (instead of four back), after they’d just lost (Ronald) Acuna, I doubt if Alex (Anthopolous) makes all those trades that have really helped them.”

Indeed, the Braves are 19-8 since their deadline moves. Jorge Soler, Adam Duvall, and Joc Pederson have combined for 20 home runs since being acquired, while Richard Rodriguez has helped stabilize a sometimes-shaky bullpen with his 1.29 ERA in 14 appearances.

The Phillies too helped themselves at the deadline. Kyle Gibson has given the much-needed No. 3 starter, pitching to a 3.16 ERA over six starts, and while Ian Kennedy has been up-and-down as the new closer, his arrival allowed the Phillies to move lefty Ranger Suarez to the starting rotation, where he has pitched very well lately since being stretched out.

Meanwhile, the Mets didn’t do enough to help their starting rotation, and while Javy Baez has had a few big moments, he hasn’t had enough of an impact overall.

PREDICTION: BRAVES. It’s not exactly a bold prediction, I know, and I do think the weak schedule gives the Phillies a real shot, but the Braves know how to win and the emergence of Riley has been vital as they go for a fourth straight NL East title.

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