The New York Mets head into their upcoming series with the Philadelphia Phillies needing answers and fast. After a season full of ups and downs, the Mets now sit at 76-70, clinging to a wild-card spot in the National League. Meanwhile, the Phillies have pulled away in the NL East, owning a comfortable lead as they push toward postseason seeding.

The Mets have been among MLB’s worst teams over roughly the last three months, going 31-45, one of the league’s poorest records in that span. That collapse has put heavy pressure on manager Carlos Mendoza, who is under fire from fans, media, and even within the clubhouse.

So far in this series, the Phillies have set the tone. Game 2 saw Kyle Schwarber blast his 50th home run of the season, and Ranger Suarez struck out a career-high 12 batters as

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