NL East
New York Mets
Citi Field · New York
The New York Mets are a Major League Baseball team in the National League East division.
NL East Rivalry
Mets–Phillies
NL East border war
A National League East rivalry between two franchises separated by roughly 90 miles of the Northeast corridor. Decades of divisional jostling, late-season drama and barbed trash talk have made it one of baseball's most personal regional feuds.
The Rivalry
The rivalry began with the Mets' 1962 expansion arrival and hardened once the National League split into divisions in 1969. For years it simmered, punctuated by bench-clearing scuffles in 1989 and 1990. It boiled over in 2007, when the Mets carried a seven-game September lead before collapsing and surrendering the division to a surging Phillies club. The bad blood traced partly to Jimmy Rollins declaring his Phillies "the team to beat." Philadelphia repeated as division winner in 2008 and went on to a World Series title, deepening Mets frustration. The proximity of New York and Philadelphia, blunt fan bases and frequent meetings keep emotions raw. In 2024 the clubs finally met in the postseason, the Mets winning the NL Division Series.
What's at Stake
These clubs meet many times every season inside the same division, so standings, wild-card slots and division titles ride on the outcomes. New York and Philadelphia sit close enough that fans routinely travel between the two, packing the visitors' ballpark. After the 2024 Division Series finally added postseason history, every series now carries the weight of recent playoff stakes and bragging rights along the corridor.
Famous Moments
- 1964 — Phillies right-hander Jim Bunning threw a perfect game against the Mets on June 21.
- 1990 — An August game produced a brawl after Dwight Gooden was hit by a pitch.
- 2007 — The Mets blew a seven-game September lead as the Phillies surged past them to win the NL East on the season's final day.
- 2008 — Philadelphia again won the division over the Mets and went on to capture the World Series.
- 2024 — The Mets beat the Phillies in the NL Division Series, the first postseason meeting between the franchises.
The Two Teams
Plan the Trip
This is one of the easiest great rivalries to chase, with New York and Philadelphia linked by a short train ride down the Northeast corridor. Catch a game at the Mets' Citi Field in Queens, with its Jackie Robinson Rotunda and renowned food, then ride south to Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, famous for its rowdy, knowledgeable crowd. Seeing both ends of this border feud in one trip belongs on any baseball bucket list.
Frequently Asked Questions: Mets–Phillies
The two teams first met in 1962. A National League East rivalry between two franchises separated by roughly 90 miles of the Northeast corridor. Decades of divisional jostling, late-season drama and barbed trash talk have made it one of baseball's most personal regional feuds.
These clubs meet many times every season inside the same division, so standings, wild-card slots and division titles ride on the outcomes. New York and Philadelphia sit close enough that fans routinely travel between the two, packing the visitors' ballpark. After the 2024 Division Series finally added postseason history, every series now carries the weight of recent playoff stakes and bragging rights along the corridor.
Yes — as NL East division rivals they face off many times across the 2026 MLB season.
New York Mets host at Citi Field in New York; Philadelphia Phillies play at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
