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He recalled a team meeting with the 2004 Cincinnati Reds before a series against the playoff-bound Chicago Cubs. “I said, ‘Hey listen, this is our playoffs. We’re going home in seven days from now, but we want the Cubs are going home with us,’” Casey recalled. The Reds went on to win three of four and knocked the Cubs out of the postseason. Now, he believes the Marlins want to be the team that follows that same script. And the decision is especially terrifying for the Mets because of who Alcantara is. Alcantara’s full-season numbers looked ordinary with a 10-12 record and a 5.48 ERA overall while still recovering from TJ, but the late surge told a different story. And especially against the Mets, he unleashed his CY Young-winning self by going 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in his two starts this season and a 2.98 ERA in his 17 career starts. Now, with the last three games left, the Mets have to sweep the series to advance to October without any outside help. But so far, in the middle of the 8th, it doesn’t look good for NYM as the scoreboard shows 6-2 in Miami’s favor. But the series is more than just Alcantara vs. the Mets It’s a weekend on a knife’s edge, and the Mets will start it with 25-year-old rookie Brandon Sproat. This will easily be the biggest and most intense start of his young career. The former Florida Gators star can touch 100 mph with his fastball. And after his most recent rough outing on September 19, when he allowed four runs in four innings against the Nationals, he has a 0-1 record with a 3.94 ERA in his three appearances so far. New York’s pitching plan after Sproat becomes a complete mystery. Clay Holmes will likely start on Saturday, but the team’s options are thin after that. Veterans Sean Manaea and David Peterson have struggled badly in their last few days. Manaea has allowed five runs in his last four innings, while Peterson has an 8.42 ERA over his last nine starts. This uncertainty extends to their lineup as Manager Carlos Mendoza has to decide whether to start Brandon Nimmo in center for his bat, or Tyrone Taylor for his glove. The Marlins, on the other hand, have their rotation lined up perfectly. After Alcantara, the Mets will face Eury Perez and Edward Cabrera. While both have had their ups and downs, they possess some good stuff capable of shutting down any lineup. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough pointed out, “We have Sandy, Eury (Perez), and (Edward Cabrera) starting this weekend. We’ve got it lined up. We want to finish strong.” For Marlins fans, this weekend carries a different kind of emotion as there is a real possibility this could be Sandy Alcantara’s final start in a Miami uniform. He has been the heart of the franchise, giving everything he has. His teammates and fans will surely want to send him out with a win. But right now, the question remains: Will the spoiler get the last laugh, or can the Mets overcome their nightmare?