Overview

• The Reds completed a sweep of the Cubs to pull even with the Mets at 80-76 and own the head-to-head tiebreaker with six games left.
• The Mets fell 3-2 to the last-place Nationals, as Sean Manaea struggled early and Nasim Nuñez delivered a two-run homer.
• New York has dropped 11 of its past 15 games and is 35-52 since June 13 after peaking at 45-24.
• A third-inning lapse by Cedric Mullins on a live ball squandered a scoring chance, reflecting the costly miscues that have marked the slide.
• Despite a league-best 131 wRC+ since Aug. 1 behind Juan Soto’s standout season, Mets pitching has posted a 4.99 ERA over that span.