Pregame analysis and predictions of the Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets MLB game to be played on September 22, 2024 on ESPN.

The Phillies gave a beating to the Mets Friday night, putting up 12 runs, to clinch a postseason berth. There was no rushing the field at the final out, there were no champagne showers — because the job was not finished.

When a weird fourth inning devolved into the Mets’ ugly 12-2 loss to the Phillies on Friday night, David Stearns’ words from hours earlier proved prescient. He was speaking about this stage of the baseball calendar — the postseason push — and the run the Mets have been on lately when he acknowledged the reality: Sometimes with fun comes stress.