Atlanta @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 5, 2018 ) Atlanta 5, NY Mets 4

The champagne has been popped and the celebratory T-shirts have been printed, but there is plenty of work remaining for the Atlanta Braves entering the final week of the season, starting Tuesday at the New York Mets. The newly crowned National League East champions have secured their first postseason berth since 2013, and look to build on their slim lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers for the second seed and home-field advantage in the NL Division Series.

While the Braves will give some of their regulars time off during this six-game road trip to New York and Philadelphia, expect Atlanta to give starters at-bats against Noah Syndergaard on Tuesday and Jacob deGrom on Wednesday in preparation for facing tough pitching in the playoffs. First baseman Freddie Freeman, who began the season’s final week leading the majors with 186 hits, is hitting .387 with 12 RBIs in 16 games against the Mets this season. New York never recovered from a 5-21 June, but the Mets are 34-28 since the All-Star break and have won 14 of 22 games in September. Outfielder Michael Conforto continued his strong late-season showing with two hits and three RBIs in Sunday’s 8-6 victory over Washington, and is hitting .312 with seven homers and 25 RBIs in his past 19 contests.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Touki Toussaint (2-1, 4.30 ERA) vs. Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (12-4, 3.36)

Toussaint makes his sixth appearance and fifth start, on the heels of the most important outing of his short big-league career – striking out eight while allowing two runs in 5 2/3 innings Wednesday to beat St. Louis and snap Atlanta’s four-game losing streak. The 22-year-old gave up three runs in one inning of relief Sept. 15 against Washington, but has posted a 3.27 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP in his four starts. Toussaint is holding opponents to a .190 batting average, and is a candidate to make the postseason roster.

Syndergaard made only seven starts a season ago because of injury, but in 23 starts this year he has regained his place on the short list of baseball’s best pitchers. The 26-year-old brings a 1.27 WHIP while averaging 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings, and in the second half he has won seven of his 11 starts (7-3) with a 3.75 ERA. Syndergaard, who is 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA in September, is 0-1 in two starts against Atlanta this season with a 4.50 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York plans to activate 3B David Wright from the disabled list for the season, and the Mets captain – who last played in the majors on May 27, 2016 – could make a pinch-hit appearance in the series.

2. The Braves are 47-23 against the NL East this season, after going 103-124 within the division from 2015-17.

3. Atlanta SS Dansby Swanson is 5-for-10 lifetime against Syndergaard, while Freeman (.467) and RF Nick Markakis (.400) also have hit Syndergaard well.

PREDICTION: Mets 4, Braves 2