What happened: Jon Heyman reported that the Mets have the toughest remaining schedule in Major League Baseball. The stretch opens with the Phillies, Dodgers, Brewers and Braves, four clubs New York now trails significantly in the standings.

Why it matters: The opening opponent is already a live storyline: the Phillies are hosting the Mets as the trade deadline nears, with Philadelphia's bullpen carrying an 8.05 ERA in July, MLB's second-most walks. The Braves, another team on that list, are separately pursuing bullpen and rotation help ahead of the deadline.

What to watch: Watch how the Mets navigate the opening leg against Philadelphia, whose relief corps has struggled through July.