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          New York Mets

          Morning Briefing: Happy clinch day (maybe)!

          • Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff WriterOct 1, 2016, 10:30 AM
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              Adam Rubin has covered the Mets since 2003. He's a graduate of Mepham High School on Long Island and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined ESPNNewYork after spending 10 years at the New York Daily News.
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          PHILADELPHIA -- On Aug. 19, the New York Mets sat two games under .500 and 5½ games out of the second wild-card spot.

          Since that point, they have produced the best record in the majors and are on the verge of clinching a postseason berth.

          With their magic number at one, the Mets (86-74) can secure their second straight trip to the playoffs -- and a home wild-card game -- by beating the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park.

          Bartolo Colon (14-8, 3.42 ERA) opposes right-hander Phil Klein (0-1, 8.22) in the 1:05 p.m. ET game as the Phillies plan to use a cavalcade of bullpen arms.

          Even with a loss, the Mets can clinch a wild-card berth on Saturday if the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals (84-76).

          The Cardinals’ win Friday against Pittsburgh delayed the Mets clinching.

          SATURDAY’S NEWS REPORTS:

          • Jay Bruce went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs and the Mets beat the Phillies, 5-1, in Friday’s series opener. Less than two weeks after Eric Campbell pinch hit for him and then he found himself on the bench, Bruce is hitting .500 (10-for-20) in his last six games. Robert Gsellman limited the Phillies to one run in six innings and shaved his ERA to 2.42. Read game recaps in the Post, Daily News, Times, Newsday, Record and at NJ.com and MLB.com.

          • Wilmer Flores' ailing right wrist continued to ache when he tried to swing a bat Friday and he is unlikely to return in 2016. It has been three full weeks since Flores suffered what has been labeled a bone bruise during a plate collision in Atlanta.

          • The Mets are giving “strong consideration” to starting Campbell at first base in a wild-card game if they face San Francisco left-hander Madison Bumgarner, the Post’s Mike Puma tweets.

          • Terry Collins gave Colon the option of pitching on Friday, which would have lined him up for a start in Wednesday’s wild-card game if Noah Syndergaard was unavailable. But the 43-year-old Colon preferred to pitch Saturday. If the Mets can clinch on Saturday, Syndergaard will handle the wild-card game anyway. Read more in Newsday.

          • Jose Reyes is on the verge of his first postseason appearance since 2006, during his first tour of duty with the Mets, columnist David Lennon writes in Newsday. “When I was sitting at home, in April and May, I wondered if I was going to be playing baseball again,” Reyes tells Lennon. “And here I am, almost making it to the playoffs, with the team that I came up to play for in the big leagues. Who knew that I was going to be here in this situation right now? Sometimes, when I wake up, I still can’t believe that I’m part of the Mets organization again, so I’m looking forward to what’s next.”

          • Columnist Joel Sherman in the Post contrasts the contributions the Mets are getting from unheralded players this season compared with their 2008 collapse.

          • From the bloggers … Mets Report salutes the contributions of Bruce and Gsellman.

          BIRTHDAYS: Pete Falcone turns 63. ... Jeff Reardon is 61. ... Brandon Knight is 41. … Buzz Capra 69. … John Thompson is 43. … Wuilmer Becerra is 22. ... Dariel Rivera 19.

          TWEET OF THE DAY:

          YOU’RE UP: Should the Mets keep Bruce for 2017?