Be it SF or STL, Mets ready for WC matchup

PHILADELPHIA — Some of them ran in a line, one behind the other. Others filtered out of Citizens Bank Park’s visiting clubhouse alone, following the noise of a screaming multitude.

Eventually, nearly every Mets player made it back onto the field, where thousands of fans remained following their 5-3 win Saturday over the Phillies. The Mets sprinted in front of them, offering high-fives. They took photos and videos to capture the moment, their victory clinching home-field advantage in the National League Wild Card Game.

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It was a scene reminiscent of last year’s celebrations in Cincinnati, Los Angeles and Chicago, all of those locations far from New York. The Mets will have a chance to change that trend Wednesday in a Wild Card Game against either the Cardinals or Giants.

“We want to have one in front of them,” manager Terry Collins said. “They certainly deserve to be a part of it.”

• Mets clinch home field in Wild Card Game

Home-field advantage in the Wild Card Game was so important to the Mets that, as recently as this week, they considered using their top starting pitcher to deploy it. That became unnecessary when Saturday’s win clinched a home game, allowing them to skip Noah Syndergaard’s final regular-season start. Syndergaard will instead throw a bullpen session Sunday, before returning to start a win-or-go-home game in Queens.

“It’s like every little kid’s dream come …

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