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          New York Mets

          Morning Briefing: Magic number stays at 2 after controversial ending

          • Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff WriterSep 30, 2016, 06:30 AM ET
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              Adam Rubin has covered the Mets since 2003. He's a graduate of Mepham High School on Long Island and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined ESPNNewYork after spending 10 years at the New York Daily News.
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          NEW YORK -- The New York Mets could clinch a wild-card spot as soon as Friday, but they will need help beyond simply beating the Philadelphia Phillies in the series opener at Citizens Bank Park.

          The St. Louis Cardinals’ controversial victory on Thursday against the Cincinnati Reds kept the Mets’ magic number at two to secure a postseason spot. St. Louis won on a walk-off RBI double by Yadier Molina. The Reds wanted to challenge the play, claiming it was a ground-rule double that warranted the winning run going back to third base. But the umpires had left the field and later asserted that time had expired to challenge the play.

          St. Louis (83-76) remained a game behind the San Francisco Giants (84-75) for the second wild-card spot.

          The Mets are 85-74. With three games remaining, they can clinch a postseason berth with a win plus a loss by the Cardinals on Friday.

          Robert Gsellman (3-2, 2.56 ERA) opposes right-hander Alec Asher (2-0, 1.66) in the 7:05 p.m. ET series opener in Philadelphia.

          The Mets had considered using Bartolo Colon on short rest after he logged only 47 pitches on Monday at Miami. That would have lined up Colon for Wednesday’s wild-card game.

          Instead, it is looking like the Mets can wrap up a wild-card spot before Sunday. That means Noah Syndergaard can toss about 25 pitches on the final day of the regular season rather than have a full workload. He then would be ready to face the Giants or Cardinals on Wednesday.

          FRIDAY’S NEWS REPORTS:

          • Tim Tebow went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, one RBI, one walk and one strikeout on Thursday in Port St. Lucie, Fla., in his second instructional league game, this time against Miami Marlins farmhands. Read more in the Daily News and Newsday.

          • Colon reviews with James Wagner in the Times how the veteran grips each of his pitches.

          • Columnist Ken Davidoff in the Post, who predicted the Mets would have a 93-69 record, dissects why he overestimated.

          • Jay Schreiber in the Times reviews what the Mets need to accomplish this weekend.

          • Mike Puma in the Post looks at how the Mets got to this point.

          • Maria Guardado at NJ.com and Matt Ehalt in the Record look at Jeurys Familia’s value after he notched his 50th save of the season.

          • Anthony DiComo at MLB.com reviews the contributions of Seth Lugo and Gsellman to offset the major rotation losses.

          • Ehalt in the Record looks at six storylines heading into the final weekend and postseason.

          • Marc Carig in Newsday looks at the awakening of Jay Bruce, who has three homers in the last five games.

          • From the bloggers ... Mets Report believes the Phillies want to be spoilers.

          BIRTHDAYS: Dave Magadan turns 54. ... Jeff Diehl is 23. ... Jay Jabs is 22.

          TWEET OF THE DAY:

          YOU’RE UP: Which team will miss the postseason -- the Mets, Giants or Cardinals?