The Mets (70-82) kick off a four-game series against the Nationals (77-75) in Washington D.C. on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. on SNY.

Mets infielder Wilmer Flores has been shut down for the season due to early onset arthritis in both knees, manager Mickey Callaway said Wednesday. 

Flores had been sent back to New York on Wednesday to have pain in his knees examined, with Callaway calling the pain "bilateral" and noting that Flores has been dealing with the issue for a while.

The 27-year-old Flores hit .267/.319/.417 with 11 homers in 126 games this season while getting time at first base, second base, third base, and designated hitter. Flores had been serving mainly as a pinch-hitter since Sept. 8, with just one hit in his last 10 at-bats. 

With his league-leading 1.78 ERA and in the midst of an otherworldly season, Mets ace Jacob deGrom is the favorite to win the Cy Young award.

But Nationals ace Max Scherzer is still visible in deGrom's rearview mirror, and the Mets can likely put an end to any chance Scherzer has by hitting him hard on Thursday night in Washington, D.C. While that might be easier said than done, Scherzer's recent struggles have been glaring.

Scherzer has allowed 17 runs (all earned) over his last 32 innings spanning five starts as his ERA has risen from 2.11 to 2.53.

On Episode 9 of Rain Delay Theater: The Podcast, Steve Gelbs and Wayne Randazzo are joined by Mets pitcher Seth Lugo. The guys hear about Lugo's unconventional path to the major leagues, his unique approach to hitters, and how he's battled through challenging injuries to find success in New York.

Click below to listen...

Near the trade deadline, rumors of the Mets dealing away some of their top-tier starters were swirling around Flushing. And rightfully so considering the Mets weren't ticketed for the postseason. 

Initially, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard were of high interest, but the Mets eventually walked that back. They didn't, however, take Zack Wheeler and Steven Matz off the table. At the end of the day, no trade was ever struck and the rotation stayed how it was. 

Pitching coach Dave Eiland was a happy camper. 

Noah Syndergaard allowed two homers over four innings and the Mets offense mustered six hits in a 4-0 loss to the Phillies on Wednesday night at Citzens Bank Park.

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about tonight's game...

1) Syndergaard (12-4) was charged with three runs on four hits and three walks while striking out six in four innings.

The Phillies silenced the Mets' bats on Wednesday night, as they took the rubber game 4-0 over New York at Citizens Bank Park.

Mets RHP Noah Syndergaard was brilliant in his last outing against the Red Sox, but he couldn't seem to channel that Wednesday night in Philadelphia. 

Syndergaard saw an early exit after allowing three runs on four hits and three walks, while striking out six over four innings of work. 

It was the long ball that did Thor in. In the bottom of the first, Rhys Hoskins mashed a solo homer to right center field. Then, after working out of trouble in the third, Odubel Herrera crushed a two-run homer to right to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead. 

In a dreadful season marked by still more crippling injuries and some awful baseball, the Mets couldn't have imagined finding a winning lottery ticket in the middle of a sidewalk, as if it had somehow fallen right out of the sky.

Yet Jeff McNeil might just be that rare stroke of good luck this franchise desperately needs these days, if he proves to have staying power as a hit-machine second baseman - an unexpected gift from the baseball gods. 

"If anybody says they saw this coming," Mets assistant GM J.P. Ricciardi was saying over the phone, "they're lying. He's been a total surprise."

Actually, McNeil himself begs to differ.

The Mets wrap up their three-game series against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday at 6:05 p.m. on SNY.

Due to his workload this season, the Mets are shutting Zack Wheeler down for the year, with Corey Oswalt taking his spot in the rotation.

"We're gonna shut down Zack for the year, given the fact that he's 101 innings over what he pitched last year," Mickey Callaway said Wednesday. "The way he pitched, pitching deep in to games, we're really excited about the year he had. And we feel like we'd probably be taking the best care of him we can if we shut him down at this point."

Callaway had hinted on Monday before Wheeler's start the the team was considering ending his season after that start.

Phillies C Wilson Ramos will be a free agent after this season and I want him to be on the Mets in 2019, when he'll still be just 31 years old.

The Mets are set up to again have a dominant starting rotation next year, with or without Jason Vargas. My hunch is no one from the current group will be traded, which means Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz and the matured and impressive Zack Wheeler will need a veteran catcher capable of taking charge, instilling confidence and providing stability for them behind the plate.

Travis d'Arnaud is not likely to be back until the middle of next season after having Tommy John surgery this past summer. But, let's be honest, even if d'Arnaud is healthy, there is absolutely no guarantee he'll be able to elevate his game to a level that is needed to help the team contend for a playoff spot. I realize there is no guarantee that anyone will remain healthy and productive, but d'Arnaud's track record indicates he's even less of a guarantee than most. My guess is he gets non-tendered anyway, but that's just a hunch...

Gary Cohen reflects on 30 years of broadcasting Mets games, including the memorable celebration after the Mets clinched the 2006 N.L. East.

The Phillies couldn't score against Steven Matz, so they pounced on the Mets' bullpen en route to a 5-2 win at Citizens Bank Park.

Steven Matz homered yet again and pitched five shutout innings, but Jerry Blevins and Drew Smith combined to allow five runs in the sixth inning and the Mets fell to the Phillies on Tuesday night, 5-2.

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about tonight's game...

1) With his third-inning solo blast, Matz joined Tom Seaver and Ron Darling as the only other Mets pitchers to homer in consecutive starts. His latest home run comes just five days after his first major league home run. Matz struggled with control on the mound Tuesday night, walking five batters, but he never allowed it to cause real damage. He walked five batters but allowed just two hits in five innings.

Mets LHP Steven Matz made an impressive catch in the fifth inning of Tuesday's game against the Phillies.

Mets LHP Steven Matz hit a solo home run in the third inning of Tuesday night's game against the Phillies, marking his second homer in as many starts.

Matz became the third pitcher in Mets history to homer in back-to-back starts -- and the first since Ron Darling completed the feat in 1989. Tom Seaver also hit home runs in consecutive starts.

Matz's blast off Phillies ace Aaron Nola gave the Mets a 1-0 advantage. His home run traveled 362 feet, according to Statcast.

The Mets will play the second game of their three-game series against the Phillies on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park.

Mets notes

The Mets have posted a .688 winning percentage (11-5) in the month of September, which ranks fourth-best in the majors and first in the NL ... The Mets have now won the season series vs. Philadelphia seven straight years ... The Mets are 44-20 at Citizens Bank Park since 2012 and have hit 31 home runs at the park since last season.

In a poll where BBWAA (Baseball Writers' Association of America) voters were asked who should win the NL Cy Young award, Mets ace Jacob deGrom was the near-unanimous choice.

DeGrom received 30 of 33 first place votes in MLB.com's poll, with Max Scherzer of the Nationals receiving the other three first place votes.

When it came to point total, deGrom received 153, Scherzer received 101, and Aaron Nola of the Phillies received 63.

Mets outfielder Michael Conforto is showing signs that he has picked up where he left off before dislocating his shoulder during the second half of last season.

He's been especially on fire since September 4, hitting .345 with five doubles, six HR and 20 RBI during 12 games and 55 at bats.

"This is the Michael Conforto that everybody wants to see," manager Mickey Callaway said after Monday night's game, during which Conforto had a career-high six RBI...

Mets OF Tim Tebow, whose season ended in July due to a broken hamate bone in his right hand that required surgery, will likely be back in 2019 for more Tebow Time.

"I'd be surprised if he didn't want to continue," assistant GM John Ricco recently said, according to Newsday.

Tebow hit .273/.336/.399 with six HR and 36 RBI in 84 games this season for Double-A Binghamton. On July 11, he served as the Eastern League's designated hitter in the Double-A All-Star Game.

The Mets won their 70th game of the season on Monday night, matching their win total from 2017 -- when they finished 70-92.

Having gone 38-32 since their disastrous 5-21 showing in June, the Mets are 70-80 on the season with 12 games remaining.

But while they have righted the ship, the Mets -- who were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Monday night -- are still in fourth place in the NL East, where they will almost certainly finish the season behind the Braves, Phillies, and Nationals.

The Mets were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Monday after the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Atlanta Braves.

The Cardinals' 11-6 win put the Mets 12 1/2 games back for the second spot in the wild card with 12 games to play.

New York was already eliminated from the NL East race; despite beating the Phillies 9-4, the Mets are 13 games back with 12 games left.

The Mets officially miss the playoffs for the second straight season after reaching the World Series in 2015 and making the wild card in 2016.

Mets RHP Zack Wheeler improved to 9-1 in the second half by pitching seven strong innings in Monday's 9-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Wheeler (12-7) struck out four batters and allowed four runs, three hits and three walks in what could have been his final start of the season.

Manager Mickey Callaway said it's possible the team will shut Wheeler down for the rest of the season given his 182 1/3 innings he's logged this year are nearly 100 more than he threw last year and are his most in a season since 2014.

Michael Conforto drove in six runs and Zack Wheeler earned his 12th win of the season as the Mets beat the Phillies 9-4 on Monday at Citizens Bank Park.

Michael Conforto homered and collected a career-high six RBIs as the Mets defeated the Phillies, 9-4, on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park.

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about tonight's game...

1) Conforto had a two-run single in the fourth, a tie-breaking double in the seventh and a three-run shot in the ninth. It was his fifth multi-RBI effort in 16 games this month during which he's gone deep seven times while driving in a Major League-best 22 runs. Conforto has 15 homers and 45 RBIs in 56 games since the All-Star break. 

The Mets are skipping Jason Vargas' next turn through the rotation in order to keep everyone else on track, Mickey Callaway said before Monday's game -- calling Vargas the "odd man out."

Vargas had initially been expected to pitch on Tuesday. Instead, Steven Matz will get the start, followed by Noah Syndergaard on Wednesday.

The biggest impact of skipping Vargas, though, could be down the line -- on Jacob deGrom.

The Mets continue their 10-game road trip when they open a three-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday at 7:05 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park.

Mets notes

The Mets won three of five games when they faced the Phillies on the road from Aug. 16-19, outscoring them 43-20 in the series. ... New York has not lost three games in a row since Aug. 26-28. Since then, the Mets have won 11 of their last 17 games. ... The Mets have a better record on the road (36-38) than they do at home (33-42).

Mookie Wilson discusses his approach to aging actively and how he has shaped his mind to enjoy growing older.

"Everything changes when you grow a little older and I've had to make that adjustment. Sometimes you can't eat what you used to eat, when you grow a little older you can't do the things you did. You may have to sleep more or sleep less. Your eyesight changes, you have to make those adjustments. I still have to work out, now what I do is that I do a lot of walking."

"A lot of people spend so much time trying to be that person that they imagine themselves being. You have to understand who you are. Your body is your body but you can actually shape your mind. So when you do that life will be easier to make those adjustments. Aging can be a blessing and something you can really enjoy."

Mets RHP Zack Wheeler has been one of the league's best pitchers since the All-Star Game, during which the Mets are 30-25.

In his 10 starts since the break, Wheeler has eight wins and the second-best ERA in baseball (1.32). He also has the league's best WHIP (0.81) and he's tied for fourth overall with a 2.5 fWAR since mid-July.

The last Mets pitcher to have nine or more wins after the All-Star break was Steve Trachsel in 2001. During Wheeler's past 12 starts, the Mets are 10-2...

Mets ace Jacob deGrom tossed his MLB-record 27th-straight start while allowing three runs or fewer on Sunday against the Red Sox in Boston in what was his third-to-last (or was it?) start of the season.

Meanwhile, Max Scherzer and Aaron Nola each had one of their worst starts of the season.

Here's where things stand with deGrom, Scherzer, and Nola in the race for the NL Cy Young award...

Gary Cohen reflects on 30 years of broadcasting Mets games, including the first game the Mets played after 9/11 in Pittsburgh.

This season, thanks to Citi, each time the home run apple goes up at Citi Field, another step is taken in the fight against childhood hunger.

For each Mets home run hit at Citi Field this season, Citi has pledged to donate enough for No Kid Hungry to provide 20,000 meals to kids in need in NYC and throughout the U.S. Learn more about the Citi Community Home Runs program at Mets.com/Citi.  

The Mets rallied from an early deficit to help Jacob deGrom but the Red Sox scored a run in the eighth to win the rubber game, 4-3, Sunday at Fenway Park.

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about today's game...

1) Seth Lugo allowed a tie-breaking sacrifice fly to Andrew Benentendi in the eighth inning. Tzu-Wei Lin led off the inning with a double and scored the go-ahead run two batters later. Lugo (3-4) surrendered a run for only the second time in his last eight appearances.

Jacob deGrom earns a no decision as Boston scores in the eighth inning, with the Mets falling to the Red Sox, 4-3, at Fenway Park.

Mets RHP Jacob deGrom faced off against the best team in the MLB, and it was another impressive outing for the Cy Young hopeful. 

DeGrom started his game red hot, collecting five strikeouts against the first six batters he faced. However, the Red Sox offense was entirely stale against the righty. 

The third inning was deGrom's only rough one as Boston's three runs came across in the frame. Mookie Betts hit a sacrifice fly to score Christian Vazquez, and Brock Holt launched a two-run homer in the next at-bat to give the Sox a 3-0 lead early on. 

The Mets (69-79) and Red Sox (102-47) finish their three-game series at Fenway Park on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. on SNY.

On Episode 8 of Rain Delay Theater: The Podcast, Steve Gelbs and Wayne Randazzo are joined by GARE! That's right, SNY's play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen in on the show this week. Gary talks about the road he took in his career to get to the Mets booth, shares stories about the legendary Bob Murphy, and reveals the secrets behind his massive tie collection.

Click below to listen...

Mets RHP Corey Oswalt allowed an unearned run on three hits in 2 2/3 innings during a spot start on Saturday afternoon at Fenway Park.

Oswalt, who was slotted back into the Mets' rotation for a doubleheader earlier in the week, allowed an RBI double to Xander Bogaerts, but was not charged with the run because Dominic Smith committed an error.

Oswalt struck out three batters and walked one while throwing 61 pitches.

The Red Sox pounced on the Mets' bullpen and New York's offense generated only two hits in a 5-3 loss to the Red Sox on Saturday.

Brandon Nimmo hit his 17th home run of the season, but Paul Sewald blew the lead during a four-run fourth inning and the Mets lost to the Red Sox on Saturday afternoon, 5-3.

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about today's game...

1) A day after the Mets scored eight runs in a shutout victory, New York's offense could muster just two hits. Brandon Nimmo supplied the Mets with their only runs of the game when he hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning. It was an otherwise-quiet day, as Jeff McNeil accounted for the Mets' only other hit of the game.

The Mets (69-78) and Red Sox (101-47) continue three-game series at Fenway Park on Saturday afternoon at 4:05 p.m. on PIX11.

The Mets hit four home runs to back Noah Syndergaard's seven-inning outing in an 8-0 victory over the Red Sox on Friday.

Noah Syndergaard pitched seven scoreless frames and the Mets hit four home runs en route to an 8-0 victory over the Red Sox on Friday in the first of three games at Fenway Park.

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about tonight's game...

1) Austin Jackson, Jay Bruce, Amed Rosario, and Jeff McNeil all contributed home runs, but Bruce led the way with four RBI. Bruce drove in the Mets' first run in the first inning before launching a three-run blast two innings later to make it 4-0. Jackson and Rosario each homered in the eighth inning -- Jackson hit a two-run homer while Rosario had a solo home run. 

The Mets (68-78) and Red Sox (101-46) begin a three-game series at Fenway Park on Friday night at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

David Wright will start for the Mets one final time on Sept. 29, but he could appear in games before then too.

Mets manager Mickey Callaway said Friday that he could look to give Wright pinch-hitting appearances at Citi Field between Sept. 25 and Sept. 28.

Callaway added he would give Wright ample notice before any potential pinch-hitting assignment.

Mets legend Dwight Gooden thinks the numbers say that Jacob deGrom should win the Cy Young this year, despite his lack of wins.

It's been speculated for a while that the Phillies would land either Manny Machado or Bryce Harper this offseason in free agency, but could they actually land both?

MLB executives told Jon Heyman of FanCred that they feel "it's quite possible" that the Phillies will scoop up both superstars -- the cream of this year's free agent class and two of the biggest prizes in free agent history.

"Of the more than 10 executives contacted this week, though the question was about who'd get the bigger deal between outfielder Bryce Harper and infielder Manny Machado, a few volunteered that they believed Philly could sign both players," Heyman wrote, noting that the Phillies' revenue from their TV deal, their relatively low payroll, and their understanding that they need to catch up to the Braves are among the reasons why the Machado/Harper swoop-in could happen.

Mets third baseman Todd Frazier rounded third base Thursday at Citi Field after hitting a walk-off homer and found a strange obstacle in his way at home plate -- the umpire. 

Home plate ump Tom Hallion was standing directly on top of the plate as Frazier came through, with Frazier bumping him out of the way before turning his head and appearing to say something to Hallion. 

It's normal protocol for the home plate ump to make sure a player crosses the plate on a game-winning hit, but not normal for that ump to stand on top of the plate like this...