Mets-Phillies NL Division Series Game 1 FAQ, Lineups (Sat., 4 ET, FOX)

PHILADELPHIA – The Mets shocked the Brewers, the entire state of Wisconsin and perhaps much of the baseball world Thursday night when Pete Alonso hit a three-run home run in the ninth inning at American Family Field that will never be forgotten. Give them a lead they won't relinquish in the NL Wild Card Series.

Alonso offered a chef's kiss when he rounded first base.

And why not? It was a huge moment in a huge game and it set up what should be a wild NL Division Series between the Phillies and Mets.

It will be the first time these NL East rivals will face each other in the postseason.

“Philadelphia-Mets playoff baseball is going to be intense,” Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo said. “And both fan bases, I mean, that's exactly what you want, right? So excited for it.”

When is the game and how can I watch it?

Game 1 will be played Saturday at Citizens Bank Park at 4:08 pm ET It will be televised on FOX.

All games are available in the US on MLB.TV (requires authentication of a participating pay TV provider). Live games are also available in select countries outside the US. For complete details, click here

Who are the starting pitchers?

In a dramatic twist for the Mets' pitching staff, manager Carlos Mendoza announced Friday in Philadelphia that Senga would get the ball in Game 1.

Senga has not appeared in a major league game since July 26, when he badly strained his left calf during his 2024 season debut. He missed the entire first half of the season with shoulder and triceps injuries. Before leaving that game, he allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings while striking out nine against the Braves.

Wheeler had the strongest finish by any pitcher in Phillies history and by any pitcher in recent memory. The former Met went 6-2 with a 1.89 ERA in his final 11 starts. He pitched six or more innings and allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of those final 11 starts, the longest streak by any MLB pitcher that season and the longest streak by any Phillies starting pitcher since at least 1893.

Wheeler is one of the best big-game pitchers in baseball. He is 4-3 with a 2.42 ERA in 11 career appearances (10 starts) in the playoffs. It is the fifth-lowest ERA of any MLB pitcher with 10 or more starts in the postseason since earned runs became official in 1913.

What is the starting lineup?

Mets: Manager Carlos Mendoza's only important daily decision during the Wild Card Series was whether to start JD Martinez or Jesse Winker at DH. The former never faced Wheeler despite long careers for both majors. The latter is a lifetime for 10 from Wheeler, but Winker outlasts Martinez in Game 1.

Phyllis: Phillies manager Rob Thomson inserted Brandon Marsh in left because he hits righties better than lefties, unlike Austin Hayes, who has good numbers against southpaws. Johan Rojas started against a righty, so the Phillies value his world-class defense.

How will bullpens line up after the starters?

Mets: The Mets leaned hard on Edwin Diaz last week, asking their closer for 26 pitches last Sunday, 40 on Monday and another 39 in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series on Thursday. But with a rest day on Friday, Diaz should do well Go for at least one innings. Outside of Diaz, Mendoza relies heavily on right-handed setup men Phil Mutton and Ryne Stanek. Southpaw Danny Young, who didn't pitch at all in the Wild Card Series, could become an option against Philadelphia's lefty hitters in the NLDS.

Right-hander Tyler Magill and left-hander David Peterson are the pitching options after Senga. Peterson had his first career save in Game 3 of the wild card game.

“If they need me, I'll be ready tomorrow,” Peterson said Friday. “Right now, where we are in the season, it's all hands on deck. So I'm ready whenever they need me in any capacity.”

Phyllis: There are probably five relievers in Thomson's circle of trust: closer Carlos Estevez; right-handers Jeff Hoffman and Orion Karkering; and left-handers Matt Strahm and Jose Alvarado. But the Phillies also have right-hander Jose Ruiz and left-hander Tanner Banks. The Phillies enter the postseason feeling better about their bullpen than they have in the previous two postseasons. Thomson hasn't been shy about going to his bullpen in early starter trouble, so don't be surprised to see him deploy someone early.

Mets: Jeff McNeal is out with a broken right wrist and has only just resumed action, so the Mets will need to go deeper to rejoin his roster.

Phyllis: Hayes missed the final weekend of the regular season with a sore back, but the Phillies said Tuesday that he is “100 percent” and they expect him to be ready to play in the NLDS. Right-hander Spencer Turnbull has not pitched since late June because of a strained right lat. His recovery has been slow, but he's been on the mound the past few weeks, and there's a chance he could pitch in the postseason.

Who is hot and who is not?

Mets: Lindor continues to show that the back injury he suffered in mid-September no longer limits him. He had two hits in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series, drew a crucial ninth-inning walk off Devin Williams, and has four multi-hit games in seven contests since returning from injury. … It will also be interesting to see if Alonso's game-winning home run in Game 3 will spur him on. He was 5-for-41 before that homer.

Phyllis: Wheeler is hot enough that he had some NL Cy Young voters consider him a first-place vote over Atlanta's Chris Sale. … Schwarber had a 1.013 OPS in the final month of the season. … Harper had a .938 OPS, while Castellanos had an .858 OPS. … Stott has struggled, posting a .613 OPS over the last month, well below his season mark (.671 OPS).

Anything else fans might want to know?