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          New York Mets

          Morning Briefing: Second place!

          • Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff WriterSep 23, 2014, 05:30 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

          FIRST PITCH: The Mets are now tied for second place in the NL East with the freefalling Atlanta Braves at 76-80.

          As for another goal: If the Mets want to reach .500, they will need to win at least five of their remaining six games.

          And that means taking care of the Washington Nationals, who certainly have dominated the meetings of late. The Nats are 13-3 against the Mets this season as the teams enter a three-game series in D.C.

          The most wins by a team against the Mets in a single season is 16. That was accomplished by the Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers in 1962, then the Dodgers again in ’63.

          Bartolo Colon (14-12, 4.02 ERA) -- who will also start the season finale -- opposes right-hander Tanner Roark (14-10, 2.85) at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday.

          The Mets are expected to declare before the game whether Jacob deGrom will be granted another start or will be shut down for the season with an innings cap. The Houston Astros, who conclude the season at Citi Field, are facing the same decision with ex-Met Collin McHugh.

          Wilfredo Tovar is due to join the Mets after Dilson Herrera suffered a strained right quadriceps at Turner Field.

          This is also the final series for Kevin Burkhardt as SNY’s field reporter, since he has weekend football duties for Fox.

          Read the Mets-Nats series preview here.

          Tuesday’s news reports:

          • The Mets will announce the returns of Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins after the season, plus a multi-year extension of Alderson’s deal, through at least 2017. Collins’ staff largely is expected to return as well.

          Read more in the Post, Daily News, Newsday, Star-Ledger, Record, Times, Journal and at MLB.com.

          • Mike Puma in the Post and Kristie Ackert in the Daily News report Tim Teufel could move to hitting coach next season, which would pave the way for Wally Backman to potentially get on the staff as third base coach. However, a team insider told ESPNNewYork.com that Teufel is expected to remain at third base and there should be minimal turnover to the staff overall. The most logical turnover appears in the hitting-coach positions. While there has been dialogue about getting Backman on the major league staff, as ESPNNewYork.com first reported, it is not clear an appropriate position will be vacant.

          • The instructional league is under way in Florida. Check out the full list of Mets farmhands participating here.

          • Alderson has been selected to serve on a pace-of-game committee chaired by Braves president John Schuerholtz.

          • After getting swept in a three-game series by the Mets, the Braves fired GM Frank Wren on Monday.

          • From the bloggers … John Delcos at NY Mets Report writes about what is left for the Mets to play for.

          BIRTHDAYS: Gonzalez Germen turns 27. ... Commack-raised Pete Harnisch is 48.

          TWEET OF THE DAY:

          YOU’RE UP: Do you approve of Sandy Alderson getting an extension?