The written preview lands about a day and a half before the game, once the lineups, the injuries and the market have settled. Until then the boards below carry the matchup: recent form, how the two sides compare, and where each of them sits.
The full preview, matchup keys, probable starters and the storylines to watch, posts closer to game time, once lineups are set.
Where each side sits in its own division, with both clubs marked. These two are in different ones, so the tables are separate and the records are not directly comparable.
Milwaukee Brewers91-56.619W3
Chicago Cubs81-66.551L4
Pittsburgh Pirates73-73.500W3
St. Louis Cardinals72-75.490L3
Cincinnati Reds69-76.476L2
Atlanta Braves85-61.582L3
Philadelphia Phillies82-64.562W1
Miami Marlins72-75.490L3
New York Mets68-78.466W4
Washington Nationals67-81.453L7Taken from each club's most recent lineup. The official cards post 2 to 3 hours before first pitch, so a name here can still be scratched, and the batting order is the likelier thing to move than the nine men in it.
New York Mets
Francisco Lindor#12SHBShortstop
Juan Soto#22LHB.275coldLeft field
Bo Bichette#19RHB.265Third base
Carson Benge#3LHB.272Right field
Jared Young#29LHB.268Designated hitterSt. Louis Cardinals
Jordan Walker#18RHB.281Pinch hitter
Iván Herrera#48RHBDesignated hitter
Alec Burleson#41LHB.283coldFirst base
Leo Bernal#13SHBCatcher
Joshua Báez#22RHBRight field
