As the Mets conclude their second Subway Series of the year, it was a status quo for how they’ve played this year. The opener saw Justin Verlander pitch very well, going six shutout innings, and the Mets offense tacked on nine runs. However, the finale saw spotty offense and fielding, culminating in a split of the New York rivalry.

The Mets now sit 47-54 just days out of the deadline, seemingly unable to string wins together. However, despite these struggles, the door is somehow slightly open for them to make the playoffs. The two teams the Mets are grouped with in the standings, the Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins, are each holding firm while the teams at the top, such as the Miami Marlins, have sputtered as well.

While a 7.5 game deficit seems insurmountable for some, the Mets have a chance to at least cut into that deficit. They open a four game series with the Washington Nationals on Thursday, followed by three games against the Kansas City Royals starting Tuesday.

While the Mets still have been unable to find consistency, they have a chance to find it at just the right time. A strong run could get them back within at least five games of the postseason, meaning a buying deadline could be in order.

However, if they don’t recover any ground or pounce on the struggling teams, they will most likely need to sell. They have pieces they can get returns for, such as outfielders Tommy Pham and Mark Canha, reliver David Robertson, and, possibly, starters Max Scherzer or Justin Verlander. While the latter two names are unlikely to be dealt, trading the others could help start a retool for 2024. However, a strong run and retaining these men could further their hopes of playoffs.

With the postseason still unlikely as of today for the Mets, it’s still there if the cards fall right. It will be up to the Mets themselves to get back into the race, and this could be the stretch to do it. However, if they fail again, their Deadline may ultimately finish their playoff hopes.