The New York Mets' mission to remain in contention for the top spot in the NL East is about hit rugged ground.
Manager Terry Collins is well aware.
"We're at a critical point,"Collins said as the Mets enter their toughest stretch of the season.
July is slated to be an arduous month for the team.
After finishing out a series against the Cubs, the Mets hit the road to face the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, and will then come home for a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks for their final games of the first half of the season.
When games kick back up on July 17, New York will hit the road again to play the St. Louis Cardinals and then the Washington Nationals, two of the hottest teams in baseball, and will then go back to Citi Field to host the Dodgers and San Diego Padres.
That's no run-of-the-mill lineup.
"Just look at who we play in July," Collins said. "It's critical. We're playing all division-leading teams in the month of July, so you better believe it's critical. We better pick up the way we play."
While their manager is assigning additional significance to their upcoming stretch, the Mets players say they aren't daunted by the schedule.
"You control what you can control," said outfielder Curtis Granderson. "Who knows what will happen. Who knows how teams will be playing when you face them. You hope you're at your best when you run up against teams, and they're at their best so you can measure yourself against them."
(h/t MLB.com)
