3 key storylines for decisive Mets-Brewers Game 3

In an ideal world, we'd have four decisive win-or-go-home games today. Alas: we only have one. But a still plenty exciting! This is especially exciting when the two teams involved have a lot on the line. The Mets are trying to keep what has felt like a blessing OMG! As the season progresses… the chance to battle the rival Phillies in the NL Division Series is slim to none. The Brewers had a rather blessed season, in which they ran away with the NL Central despite losing their manager and Cy Young winner earlier in the season and their MVP at the time. Someone is going to break their heart tonight.

But who will? Here's a look at three major storylines that headlined a game both fanbases will remember forever.

Three years ago, he was traded from Tampa Bay to Cleveland for former MLB Pipeline No. 1 prospect Junior Caminero. Two years ago, he was DFA'd by the Giants and then released by the White Sox. A year ago, he posted a 5.03 ERA for Double-A Biloxi. now? Now Myers is the guy the Brewers trust most with their season on the line.

Myers has been fantastic for the Brewers this year, especially in the second half, posting a 2.86 ERA in 12 starts. (And if we go back to June 1, he has a better ERA than Tarik Skubal.) He doesn't throw many innings, though: It's been three weeks since he threw more than four innings. He threw four scoreless innings in his last appearance against the Mets last week, striking out five, walking none and giving up just one hit. He is incredibly stingy with walks, allowing just 36 free passes in 138 innings this year. And he'll certainly have help: This is a team with the best bullpen ERA in baseball this year, though it's been hard at work the past two days.

Bottom line: This is a 26-year-old rookie who recently quit with his team's entire season, a glorious season, on the line.

Sure, he's still only 20 years old, but don't let that fool you: Chorio is the best thing the Brewers have going in their lineup. Chourio has two of the three Brewers homers in the series, and he's hitting .500; Combined, he and Bryce Turang accounted for nine of the Brewers' 19 total hits in the series. He's a budding superstar, and, as we saw in Game 2, has the entire Brewers fanbase in the palm of his hand. (There's a sound the stadium makes when he hits the ball that reminds you of the old County Stadium and Robin Yount.)

You have to think the Mets are going to start pitching around Chaurio, even with Blake Perkins (2-for-3 on Wednesday) and William Contreras behind him. Chauri is also a great talent who is clearly writing the first chapter of an incredible career in this series. The Mets might be wise not to give him another chance to write.

If any Met set the stage for this series, it's probably Alonso. Famously entering free agency this offseason — and therefore potentially playing his last game as a Met — Alonso is a beloved Met who is third on the franchise's all-time home run list, but one who lacks an unusually memorable homer, securing his place in Mets lore. He hadn't actually homered (or had an extra-base hit for that matter) since September 19, and probably cost the Mets a run in Game 2 when he got out of the batter's box in what proved to be a fairly crucial double play when the Mets first topped 2. -0 was on its way to taking the lead.

Alonso has been with the Mets for quite some time, and the fanbase is itching for him to have an epic moment in this inspiring, at-times delirious season. The Mets aren't even in the series yet, and there's no better time — there may never be a better time — for Alonso to show off the power that has made him a fan favorite.