When is Phillies vs. Mets NLDS Game 4? Date, Time and Lineups

When the Mets clinched the National League East title in 2015, they did so in Cincinnati. Their subsequent celebrations that year occurred in Los Angeles and Chicago, while their playoff clinchers in ‘16 and ‘22 happened in Philadelphia and Milwaukee, respectively. This year, New York has celebrated in Atlanta and back in Milwaukee but never at home.

Over the years, others have dogpiled on their field and sprayed champagne in their visiting clubhouse. The Mets would like to have their turn.

“Obviously, we want to win because it brings us closer to our ultimate goal,” outfielder Starling Marte said through an interpreter. “We want to be able to go out there and celebrate and win.”

But the Phillies have other plans for NL Division Series Game 4, scheduled for Wednesday at 5:08 p.m. ET. It’s an elimination game for Philadelphia, which must win or face the prospect of having a 95-win season end in their first round of the playoffs.

With their season on the line, the Phillies will turn to left-hander Ranger Suárez, one of the game’s top first-half pitchers — but one who struggled mightily down the stretch. The Mets will counter with Jose Quintana, whose season arc has been the reverse of Suárez’s — not so good early, excellent of late.

If the Phils win, they’ll force a decisive Game 5 on Friday at Citizens Bank Park. If they lose, they’ll head home for the winter.

“As a group, this is the closest to death we’re ever going to get,” Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos said. “So, in a way, we should feel the most alive. We’re only promised tomorrow.”

Here’s everything you need to know about Game 4:

When is the game and how can I watch it?
Game 4 will be played at 5:08 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Citi Field. It will be televised on FS1.

All games are available in the U.S. on MLB.TV (authentication to a participating Pay TV provider is required). Live games are also available in select countries outside the U.S. For full details, click here.

Who are the starting pitchers?
Phillies: LHP Ranger Suárez (12-8, 3.46 ERA)
Suárez was a legitimate NL Cy Young contender for the first two and a half months of the season before a back injury derailed him. The left-hander went 10-1 with a 1.75 ERA through his first 15 starts before going 0-4 with a 6.67 ERA over his next five outings. Suárez, a first-time All-Star, skipped the Midsummer Classic to rest his ailing back but ultimately landed on the injured list following his first start of the second half. He’s struggled to rediscover his early-season form since his return in late August, posting a 5.74 ERA in seven starts down the stretch.

Mets: LHP Jose Quintana (10-10, 3.75 ERA)
Asked before Game 4 if this would be the biggest start of his career, Quintana responded: “Yeah, probably.” Cubs fans might consider his appearances in 2017 NL Championship Series Games 1 and 5 more significant, but an NLDS start in front of a sold-out crowd in Queens figures to be at least on a similar level.

Quintana couldn’t be entering it on a better roll. After ending the regular season with a 0.74 ERA over his final six starts, Quintana delivered one of the finest outings of his career with six shutout innings — four more than Mets officials had budgeted for him — in Wild Card Series Game 3 against the Brewers. The left-hander will be working on an extra day of rest for this one, looking to add to his growing resume of postseason success. Said Quintana: “I think at this point, every game is Game 7 for me.”

What are the starting lineups?

With the Mets starting a left-hander for the second straight game, it’s possible that Sosa again gets the nod over Bryson Stott at second base. But after Austin Hays — who missed a lot of time down the stretch — struggled at the plate in Game 3, it’s possible that manager Rob Thomson turns to Weston Wilson for the start in left field. Wilson hit .341 with a 1.026 OPS in 51 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers during the regular season.

With Suárez on the mound, the Mets shift back to Martinez at DH. He’s 2-for-9 lifetime with a double and a walk off the left-hander. While manager Carlos Mendoza made clear that his DH decisions are matchup-based and not the product of a platoon, the high number of lefties New York has seen so far this postseason has resulted in something approximating a platoon situation for Martinez and Jesse Winker.

How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Phillies: Everyone will be available — possibly even Zack Wheeler. Thomson didn’t rule out using anyone (aside from Game 3 starter Aaron Nola) when asked about Wheeler’s availability following Tuesday’s loss. Between the season being on the line and Suárez’s recent struggles, Thomson also won’t hesitate to go to his bullpen at the first sign of trouble. The Phillies’ bullpen has been a surprising weakness to this point in the NLDS, but they will likely lean heavily on Matt Strahm, Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez in an attempt to get this series to a Game 5.

Mets: Sean Manaea’s strong Game 3 start didn’t quite allow the Mets to rest their top bullpen arms, as Mendoza still leaned on Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek for nine outs and had Edwin Díaz warm with intensity (though he never entered). Given how heavily those three pitchers have been used so far this postseason, their availability has become a daily question. It’s also unclear if Mendoza would use David Peterson in a short relief spot in Game 4 or save his top left-hander for bulk work in a potential Game 5.

Any injuries of note?
Phillies: Right-hander Spencer Turnbull has not pitched since late June because of a strained right lat that kept him off the NLDS roster. His recovery has been slow, but he has been on the mound the past few weeks, and there is a chance he could pitch in the postseason if the Phillies advance.

Mets: Jeff McNeil, who has been sidelined since Sept. 6 due to a fractured right wrist, rejoined the club on Sunday morning in Philadelphia and immediately began ramping up baseball activities. Neither he nor Mendoza ruled out McNeil’s return for a potential NLCS that would begin next Sunday, but he’ll first need to see some live pitching, which the Mets hope he can do in the Arizona Fall League. At the least, McNeil seems a near-guarantee to be ready for the World Series if the Mets make it that far.

Who is hot and who is not?
Phillies: Outside of a pair of rallies in Game 2, the Phillies’ offense has mostly gone quiet in the NLDS. … Bohm was out of the starting lineup for Game 2 after struggling down the stretch and going 0-for-4 in Game 1; he went 0-for-2 off the bench in Game 2, and while he returned to the lineup for Game 3, he was thrown out trying to stretch his lone hit into a double.

Mets: With three opposite-field homers in his past four games, Alonso is clearly warming at the plate, with six RBIs this postseason. … The Mets don’t have anyone particularly cold at the moment, as Brandon Nimmo and Tyrone Taylor were the only members of the starting lineup who did not hit safely in Game 3, and even Nimmo scored twice after reaching base multiple times on a pair of walks.

Anything else fans might want to know?