Five bargain hitters are surging for Week 22 waiver pickups: Hayes, McNeil, Teel, Baty, and Nootbaar. Hayes’ move to Cincinnati has boosted his bat with lower ground-ball rates and higher hard contact, flagging him for everyday duty as the Reds chase a postseason spot. McNeil has heated up in the Mets’ productive middle, delivering consistent multi-hit games and RBI. Teel is showing upside behind the White Sox plate, while Baty is finally turning his Mets offense into a reliable contributor. Nootbaar continues to provide top-of-order production for St. Louis. In many leagues these names float on waivers, offering short-term boosts with longer-term upside as August closes out.

Mets surged from an early deficit to a 13-3 win over Philadelphia as Luis Torrens drove in five, including a three-run homer. Mark Vientos added two RBI doubles to spark a four-run fourth, while Jeff McNeil plated three on RBI hits and a sac fly. Nimmo and Soto chipped in with RBI singles; Tyrone Taylor collected three hits as the Mets went 11-for-19 with runners in scoring position. Senga yielded three runs in 4 1/3 innings, and a microphone-delay in center field briefly paused the game before New York pulled away. The rout tightens the NL East race as Philadelphia and New York swap spots near the top; Luzardo and Manaea are lined up for Tuesday.

New York rides a power surge on the road, using four homers to topple Atlanta 9-2 and remind the league they’re far from out of the NL East race. McNeil and Alonso led the charge, with Vientos going deep twice and Marte adding a multi-facet night. Holmes worked into the seventh for a quality start as the Mets leaned on timely hitting and baserunning to seize momentum against a Braves club out of contention.

The win tightens the Mets’ hold on second in the NL East and boosts their wild-card positioning, signaling they’re capable of grinding through rough spells and turning them into production on the road. With Soto in the lineup and the lineup producing, New York demonstrated they can win on the road in hostile environments and keep pressure on the division rival Phillies.

The Mets open a three-game set with the Braves amid a flurry of injury notes. Jeff McNeil’s shoulder imaging came back clean, keeping him day-to-day but available off the bench and restricted in the field. Brandon Nimmo is dealing with neck stiffness but is progressing in baseball activities, while Luis Torrens is nursing a bruised hand with no imaging planned. Tyrone Taylor has started in left field for the last two days as New York navigates lineup and defensive alignments. All three look like they can avoid the injured list, providing a glimmer of stability for a Mets club that has leaned on McNeil’s bat in a rough season.

McNeil remains the Mets’ most consistent hitter, and his second-half pace has been impressive (.369 avg, .765 OPS) as a continuation of strong first-half numbers. Nimmo’s stiffness and Torrens’ hand wrap add uncertainty to late-game decisions, but manager Carlos Mendoza emphasized ongoing treatment and daily checks. Taylor’s left-field role adds flexibility, and the Mets will lean on the trio’s resilience as they chase wins against Atlanta in a pivotal series.