Monday's doubleheader between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves, makeup games as a result of a poorly-handled situation that now determines the playoff fates of the two squads—and the Arizona Diamondbacks—was already a strange situation.
But, thanks to a request from MLB, the ending of the second game of the twin bill could look even stranger.
Speaking to reporters on Monday ahead of the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that MLB requested the club that wins the first game of the doubleheader hold off on any celebrations until after the second game.
"No, we won't," Mendoza said when asked if the Mets would celebrate after the first game if they win—and thus clinch a playoff berth.
"This is more from MLB, so celebrations will take part after Game 2."
As ESPN's Buster Olney noted, Mendoza even went on to joke that the teams should give each other one "giant hug" on the field.
If one of the Mets or Braves wins both games of the doubleheader, then the victorious club will head to the postseason along with the Diamondbacks, and the loser will head home for the winter. Should the Mets and Braves split the twin bill, they will both be postseason-bound.
In that second scenario, a real possibility because the team that wins the first game has little incentive to win the second with the playoffs beginning Tuesday, both teams could technically celebrate on the field at the same time.
Should that happen, it will undoubtedly be one of the most bizarre things any baseball fan has ever seen.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as MLB Request Could Lead to Odd Celebrations for Mets, Braves After Doubleheader.
