The 2022 MLB Playoffs begin Friday, and for the first time ever, there are six teams from each league that have a chance to win the World Series. MLB added one more wild card team per league to the mix, meaning that the top two division winners in the AL and NL will get a bye into the ALDS and NLDS.
The third division winner will play the lowest wild card team and the top two wild card teams will play each other.
The wild card round is a best-of-three series with all games played at the higher seed’s ballpark.
After getting beaten out by the Braves for the NL East title, the Mets will play host to the San Diego Padres beginning on Friday.
If the Mets can muster a pair of wins, they’ll play the Dodgers, who posted baseball’s best record, in the NLDS.
When does the Mets vs. Padres Wild-Card Series start?
The Mets-Padres series will begin Friday along with the other three wild card series, which include the Phillies vs. Cardinals, Rays vs. Guardians, and Mariners vs. Blue Jays. First pitch for game 1 of Mets-Padres is scheduled for 8:07 p.m; Game 2 will be Saturday at 7:37 p.m.; and, if necessary, Game 3 will be Sunday at 7:37 p.m.
Where is the Mets vs. Padres Wild-Card Series being played?
With the Mets having finished 11 wins better than the Padres and posting their best record since 1988, all games will be at Citi Field. The Mets had a 54-27 record at home this season.
How to watch and stream the series
All games in the Mets-Padres series will be broadcast on ESPN. They can be streamed on WatchESPN and on ESPN+, which comes with the Disney+ Bundle.
Players and storylines to watch
• Mets ace Jacob deGrom will not start game 1 of the series, with manager Buck Showalter instead giving his other star hurler, Max Scherzer, the nod. Showalter is opting to wait until the Mets are facing elimination or the NLDS to start deGrom.
• On the mound for San Diego on Friday will be Yu Darvish. In two starts against the Mets this year, Darvish has been dominant, allowing just one run over 14 innings to go with 15 strikeouts. On the flip side, in his one start against the Padres, Scherzer allowed two earned runs over six innings and struck out eight.
• The series also marks right fielder Juan Soto’s first playoffs with the Padres. Soto was traded to San Diego from Washington in a blockbuster deal at this year’s trade deadline.
• Buck Showalter is back in the playoffs for the fifth time. In his first season with the Mets, he’s trying to finally win a World Series. Showalter was the manager of the Yankees from 1992-1995, fired right before they began their dynastic ’90s run. He then went to Arizona, managing the Diamondbacks from 1998-2000 before being fired a year before their 2001 World Series title. Showalter then went to Texas for three years before landing in Baltimore, managing the Orioles from 2010-2018, making three playoff appearances including an ALCS in 2014. Showalter is still looking for that first World Series appearance and championship, though.
How did the Mets do vs. the Padres in 2022?
The Mets and Padres played six times this year, and the Padres took four out of six while outscoring New York 36-23 in those games.
What are the betting odds for the Mets-Padres series?
As of Friday, the Mets are 1.5-run favorites in Game 1 of the series. They are +155 to cover the spread but -145 to win the game outright. For the series itself, the Mets are -185 to move on to the NLDS, while the Padres are +150.