DeGrom excited for pivotal series with Braves: 'This is what you play for'

The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves kick off a crucial three-game series on Friday that will likely determine the NL East champion, and Mets star right-hander Jacob deGrom is relishing the big stage.

"That is what you play for," deGrom said Friday, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post. "You want to pitch in big games and have them (be) meaningful games. We put ourselves in a good position, and these games mean a lot coming down to the end, so it makes it exciting."

The Mets enter the series with a one-game lead over the Braves in the standings. New York has its ideal pitching alignment, with deGrom, Max Scherzer, and Chris Bassitt lined up to make starts in Atlanta.

DeGrom will look to rebound from his last outing - his worst start since 2019. The 34-year-old struggled in a loss to the Oakland Athletics, allowing five runs and four walks in just four innings.

Mets owner Steve Cohen took to Twitter to express his excitement about the showdown with the Braves.

The Mets enter play Friday with a 98-58 record and are just two victories away from their first 100-win campaign since 1988.