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Buckle Up: five ridiculous NL Wild Card scenarios

By Adam MacKinnon

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 25: Noah Syndergaard #34 of the New York Mets of the New York Mets looks on during the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field on August 25, 2019 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Teams are wearing special color-schemed uniforms with players choosing nicknames to display for Players' Weekend. The Braves won 2-1. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 25: Noah Syndergaard #34 of the New York Mets of the New York Mets looks on during the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field on August 25, 2019 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Teams are wearing special color-schemed uniforms with players choosing nicknames to display for Players' Weekend. The Braves won 2-1. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) /
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Mets, Padres: Here's the "strong" offer the Padres made for Syndergaard
(Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images) /

Ridiculous NL Wild Card Scenarios

The Mets Rotation Locks In, the Nationals Flame Out

I think when the dust settles on this season, general manager Brodie Van Wagenen is either going to come out looking like a genius or probably the easiest fall guy in New York Mets history for another failed season.

Could he have been right this whole time though?  Could holding onto Zack Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard have been the right moves all along?

Could trading away Jason Vargas for chump change and then handing over prospects to the Toronto Blue Jays for Marcus Stroman actually be a stroke of genius from an inexperienced GM.

When you think about it, it’s not that far fetched to think that the stars align and that star-studded starting rotation strings together a few deep starts, and a competent lineup can back them up along the way.

On the other end of that equation, the Washington Nationals are white-hot right now, but with a shaky Max Scherzer, and an injury-prone Stephen Strasburg, and a bullpen that has gone from a total disaster to just really bad, things could turn in a hurry.

Wild Card Matchup:  Chicago Cubs vs. New York Mets

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Ridiculous NL Wild Card Scenarios

The D-Backs Bite Back, The Cubs Hibernate

The Arizona Diamondbacks have pushed all the “rebuilding” buttons this year.  It started with trading Paul Goldschmidt in the offseason for a group of decent-upside players and avoiding his final-year price tag.

Then at the deadline, they send ace Zack Grienke to the mighty Houston Astros.  Sitting in a division that seems owned by the Los Angeles Dodgers, there was every reason for the snakes to pack it up for 2019.

Yet… Here we are.  Sitting just four games back from the coveted second Wild Card spot, the best defensive team in baseball could actually make some waves as we approach the pennant race.  Their current odds sit at an abysmal 3.3% to make the postseason, but hey, I said these were going to be ridiculous right?

Let’s just say that whoever has inhabited Ketel Marte‘s body (because he’s so ridiculously good this year there’s no way that’s actually him) continues to hit at a “near MVP consideration” level.  Let’s just say Robby Ray continues to remember what the strike zone is.  Let’s ALSO pretend that the Chicago Cubs pitching woes continue, and their bats go silent as the year winds down (which is a real possibility)… Watch out for the Arizona Diamondacks.

Wild Card Matchup:  Diamondbacks at Nationals

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